Times Online - Sunday Times Britain -
New elite force to combat Al-Qaeda
A DEDICATED special forces unit is being assembled alongside the SAS and SBS to infiltrate and destroy Osama Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda network.
The unit, nicknamed the “X-men”, has already begun recruiting and is expected eventually to comprise some 600 men and women from all three armed services and the intelligence agencies.
Particular efforts will be made to recruit people of Arabic appearance in addition to members of ethnic minority communities and Muslims. The unit would be expected to operate around the world as well as to counter the terrorism threat in Britain itself.
Much of the core of the unit will be made up of undercover surveillance operators who have honed their skills fighting terrorists in Northern Ireland.
More than 150 members of the 14th Intelligence and Security Company, have already left Northern Ireland and are forming the nucleus of the new unit.
The company was involved in the bugging of Gerry Adams, the Sinn Fein president, during the 1998 Good Friday peace negotiations.
Other Northern Ireland veterans who are experts at undermining terrorist groups using moles and informers are also likely to be recruited.
The move was hinted at in last week’s announcement by Geoff Hoon, the defence secretary, on the restructuring of the armed forces. “We are increasing the strength of our special forces and investing in new equipment for them,” he said.
New elite force to combat Al-Qaeda
A DEDICATED special forces unit is being assembled alongside the SAS and SBS to infiltrate and destroy Osama Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda network.
The unit, nicknamed the “X-men”, has already begun recruiting and is expected eventually to comprise some 600 men and women from all three armed services and the intelligence agencies.
Particular efforts will be made to recruit people of Arabic appearance in addition to members of ethnic minority communities and Muslims. The unit would be expected to operate around the world as well as to counter the terrorism threat in Britain itself.
Much of the core of the unit will be made up of undercover surveillance operators who have honed their skills fighting terrorists in Northern Ireland.
More than 150 members of the 14th Intelligence and Security Company, have already left Northern Ireland and are forming the nucleus of the new unit.
The company was involved in the bugging of Gerry Adams, the Sinn Fein president, during the 1998 Good Friday peace negotiations.
Other Northern Ireland veterans who are experts at undermining terrorist groups using moles and informers are also likely to be recruited.
The move was hinted at in last week’s announcement by Geoff Hoon, the defence secretary, on the restructuring of the armed forces. “We are increasing the strength of our special forces and investing in new equipment for them,” he said.
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