800 Additional MI5 agents to spy on Muslims 11-13-2005 9:32:00 AM GMT
The MI5 security service plans to recruit additional 800 agents to help with spying operations against the Muslims in UK.
"We are talking about an enormous number of new spies," a senior Home Office official said.
The expansion plan is expected to double the size of the spy agency by 2009, with the staff numbers increasing from 2,000 last year to nearly 4,000.
The agency also seeks extra funding. Much of the extra money, which would be available in April, is needed in expanding the operations of G branch, the MI5 division that investigates international "terrorism".
The actual size of MI5's budget remains a secret, but it is thought to have been about £200m last year.
Also hundreds of spies, surveillance and desk officers will be recruited, officials said, adding that many candidates are from ethnic minorities.
The agency considers hiring Muslim youths capable of infiltrating Islamic groups.
Details of the new bid are contained in a "business case" submitted by Eliza Manningham-Buller, director-general of MI5 after the London plantings.
Although the new plan seems targeting the Muslim Community in UK, British officials hinted at an imminent threat from the Chinese foreign intelligence service, which is increasingly targeting British business and high-technology security industries.
Recent delegations of Chinese officials to the Home Office, Scotland Yard and some Ministry of Defence establishments included undercover intelligence officers, according to Special Branch officers.
Source: The Sunday Times
