Guardian : Police chief Bob Quick steps down over terror blunder

Police chief Bob Quick steps down over terror blunder

Britain's most senior counterterrorism officer resigns over security leak that resulted in anti-terror operation being brought forward

Vikram Dodd and David Batty | April 9, 2009

Bob Quick, Britain's most senior counterterrorism officer, was forced to stand down today after an embarrassing security leak resulted in a major anti-terror operation, designed to foil an alleged al-Qaida plot to bomb Britain, being rushed forward.

The London mayor and chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority, Boris Johnson, announced the resignation this morning, saying it had been accepted with "great reluctance and sadness".

Assistant Commissioner John Yates, the high-profile Met officer who headed the 19-month "cash for peerages" inquiry, will replace Quick as the head of counterterrorism, Johnson said.

Police were forced to carry out raids on addresses in the north-west of England in broad daylight yesterday, earlier than planned, after Quick, the Metropolitan police's assistant commissioner, was photographed carrying sensitive documents as he arrived for a meeting in Downing Street.

A white document marked "secret", which carried details of the operation being planned by MI5 and several police forces, was clearly visible to press photographers equipped with telephoto lenses.

Prime minister Gordon Brown today said the police services, who arrested 12 men, had been investigating a "major terrorist plot". Speaking in Carlisle, he said: "Our first concern is always the safety of the public. It is right that we took the urgent action that we did over the course of yesterday. I have spoken to Bob Quick this morning and thanked him for his years of service. He has apologised for what went wrong yesterday.

Pressure had been growing on Quick after the embarrassing lapse, and it is understood his resignation followed a meeting with the home secretary, Jacqui Smith, and the Metropolitan Police commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson, last night.

The home secretary is said to be angry with Johnson for pre-empting official channels and making the announcement on BBC's Radio 4 Today programme this morning. There was also surprise and concern that the mayor had named Quick's replacement before Scotland Yard had given the all clear for the information to be released - which could have security implications.

Yesterday, realising the existence of the ­photographs of the ­document – which included the names of several senior officers, sensitive locations and details about the nature of the overseas threat – the government imposed a "D notice" to restrict the media from revealing the contents of the picture.

The security lapse followed a series of earlier controversies which had already left Quick's future in doubt.

Last December, he had to apologise for an outburst in which he accused senior Conservatives of leaking a story.

He faced damaging headlines after it emerged that his wife was running a luxury car hire firm from their home and details of their address were published on a website, and was also criticised for his role in sanctioning the arrest of the shadow immigration minister, Damian Green, during a Whitehall leak inquiry.

In a statement today, Quick said he had decided to resign last night.

He would not have needed to be told of the acute difficulty his lapse had caused.

There was also real anger at Quick's actions in Whitehall security circles, and it is possible that he could face disciplinary action for his lapse.

Today, Quick said: "Last evening, I contacted the Metropolitan Police Authority to inform them of my intention to offer my resignation.

"I have today offered my resignation in the knowledge that my action could have compromised a major counterterrorism operation.

"I deeply regret the disruption caused to colleagues undertaking the operation, and remain grateful for the way in which they adapted quickly and professionally to a revised timescale."

London mayor praises Quick

Although a statement from Johnson praised Quick, relations between the Conservatives and the officer have become strained because of the Green saga.

At the time, Quick amazed many in Whitehall by alleging that the Tories were leaking against him.

Johnson's statement said Quick had "made a huge contribution to British policing, particularly in the last year, developing the national counterterrorism capability".

The resignation was the second major headache to be faced by Stephenson in barely 24 hours, following the Guardian's revelation of the police attack on Ian Tomlinson, who died at the G20 protest.

"Bob Quick is a tremendous police officer who has served with dedication and professionalism throughout his career," Stephenson said.

"I hold Bob in the highest regard, as a friend and colleague, and that opinion has not changed. He has accepted that he made a serious error and that has led to his resignation."

Quick's role was national, and he regularly met top government ministers and officials.

The home secretary offered her "sincere appreciation of all the outstanding work he has done in this role, which has helped keep this country safe".

The Conservative home affairs spokesman, Chris Grayling, called Quick's resignation "the right decision".

"It is unacceptable for Britain's most senior anti-terrorist officer to have had such an extraordinary lapse in judgement," he said.

"To put the security of his police officers and the operation at risk has rendered his position untenable."

Anti-terror operations continue in north-west

Searches were today continuing at addresses in the north-west after hundreds of officers carried out raids on 10 properties and arrested 12 men, including 10 Pakistani nationals on student visas and one Briton.

The men, detained at John Moores University in Liverpool, an internet cafe and a house in the Cheetham Hill area of Manchester, as well as at addresses in Lancashire, were suspected of involvement in a plot to attack the UK.

The arrests were led by Greater Manchester police, which coordinates anti-terror operations in the region.

"Ten men have been arrested as part of a counterterrorism operation across the north-west of England," a force statement said.

"Officers from the north-west counterterrorism unit, supported by Merseyside police, Greater Manchester police and Lancashire constabulary, carried out a series of raids."