Did the British Government use al-Qaeda to try and kill Gaddaffi?

["Martin Spellman" <mspellman@xxxxxxxxx>]

 Judge gags media in tell-all spy case

 By Paul Daley, Herald Correspondent in London  October 10 2002

 The British media have been gagged from reporting sensational courtroom
evidence of the former MI5 spy David Shayler, including his alleged proof
that the secret service paid 100,000 ($280,000 at current exchange rates)
for al-Qaeda terrorists to try to assassinate Libya's leader, Muammar
Gaddafi, in  1986.

 In its efforts to contain Shayler's allegations, the Government has even
stopped the media from reporting its successful attempt to win a court gag
order.

 The decision by an Old Bailey judge to stop the media from reporting parts
of Shayler's evidence came on Monday after two ministers, David Blunkett and
Jack Straw, signed Public Interest Immunity certificates.

 The certificates, insisted that the media and the public would have to
leave  the court if the activities of the security and intelligence agencies
were  raised by the defence.

 While in opposition, Labour strenuously opposed the Conservative
government's use of the certificates during an arms-to-Iraq prosecution in
the early '90s.

 Some guilty verdicts were subsequently overturned on appeal because the
defence had been deprived of information.

 It is standard practice when such certificates are issued for the judge to
read the applications and publicly hear the arguments for and against the
application of the gagging order.

 But in the case of Shayler, 36, a former MI5 officer accused of disclosing
government secrets to the media and in a book, the Government wanted the
judge, Mr Justice Alan Moses, to consider the application in private.

 The British media widely reported on Monday that lawyers acting for Shayler
had accused the Government of trying to "intimidate" Justice Moses.

 Although Shayler's jury trial is expected to begin next week at the Old
Bailey, any of his evidence relating to sensitive security or intelligence
matters  will be kept private.

 After the judge's ruling on Monday, a number of articles detailing
Shayler's  expected evidence, and the Government's efforts to keep it
secret, were  withdrawn from newspaper websites.

 It is believed the Government successfully applied to have parts of the
trial  heard in camera. This applies to evidence on "sensitive operational
techniques of the security and intelligence services". It is also believed
that the  court agreed to keep the identities of MI5 agents secret in the
courtroom and to  allow them to give evidence from behind screens.

 The British Government decided to issue the certificates after Shayler
announced that he would defend himself.

 It is thought to be worried that Shayler will make further allegations
about MI5 and MI6 knowledge of a plot to use al-Qaeda terrorists to kill
Colonel Gaddafi in 1996.

 Shayler has also made other allegations that the security services ignored
warnings that could have prevented a series of bombings in London in 1993
and 1994.  ---------------------------------
<http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/10/09/1034061255603.html>




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