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Spooks Working Overtime
Britain's counter-espionage field officers are working double-shifts these days. The secret security service, better known as MI5, have their official HQ at Millbank, not far along the Thames from the Houses of Parliament.
Their Secret Intelligence Service counterpart, MI6, is across the river, opposite the Tate Gallery at Vauxhall Cross.
But the real work today, some would say, is conducted by MI5 - Although rival MI6 might disagree.
MI5's covert surveillance office is known as 'K branch' and is located underground near the British Museum.
There are some very sophisticated listening devices in the basement designed to help protect ordinary citizens who might be in danger. Sometimes, without an warrant from the Home Secretary, they tap phones if necessary.
If things could get worse, they are getting worse. As someone once said, never underestimate worse.
Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller, head of MI5, who rarely speaks in public, says that since the 7 July bombings in London a five further major conspiracies have been thwarted.
Officials say over 1,600 individuals are under surveillance. The representatives claim that the UK could be under threat by chemical or biological agents, radioactive materials and even nuclear technology.
Dame Eliza's analysis to a selected audience was grim: "We are aware of numerous plots to kill people and to damage our economy." The chief of MI5 said that at least 30 plots have been identified so far.
The head of the UK's chartered security service added: "Many of these plots... were linked to al-Qaeda."
Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller's comments come days after a British citizen was sentenced to 40 years in jail for planning an attack on the UK.
The prime minister Tony Blair says that he is in agreement with Dame Eliza 's evaluation, and that the terrorrist threat to the United Kingdom would last for a generation.
