Ulster spy HQ to help Britain fight terrorism
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
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MI5's new Northern Ireland headquarters will improve the secret agency's ability to fight terror across the UK, the Security Service chief said yesterday.
Jonathan Evans said also revealed that the new £20m regional HQ in Holywood is about to be opened by Secretary of State Shaun Woodward.
The director general confirmed that the headquarters in Palace Barracks will be concerned with the "broad spectrum of MI5's work".
"So although we will continue to investigate national security threats to Northern Ireland from there, the capabilities will also provide us with greater capacity in our overall work across the UK," he said.
"Our Northern Ireland headquarters is now an important part of my service's UK counter terrorism network."
The new headquarters was built because MI5 took over the lead role in national security matters from the PSNI last month.
Mr Evans said the handover was "an important day" for the Security Service.
"And I am pleased to confirm today that our new Northern Ireland headquarters will soon be opened by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland," he said.
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