Operation Gird

Theresa May Excerpts

Monday 16th May 2011 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mrs Theresa May)]

I am pleased to be able to announce that David Anderson QC has completed his report on the review of operation GIRD—the investigation of an alleged plot targeting the Papal visit of September last year. The report will be placed in the Library of the House and copies win also be available from the Vote Office.

I am grateful to David Anderson for his detailed report—his first as independent reviewer for terrorism legislation. I am also pleased that he finds that the police exercised the powers afforded them under the Terrorism Act 2000 lawfully and appropriately in seeking to prevent what they had reasonably suspected was a potential terrorist plot.

I welcome both his finding and his recommendations and intend to publish the Government’s full response shortly.