British secret service warns businesses of security threats

The site - MI5.GOV.UK lists security threats facing the UK and provides advice, and emergency planning guidelines for businesses and organisations.

Most interesting was a section of the site which has a page of myths about the organisation which it hopes to dispel.

Amongst them is the claim in the book 'Spycatcher' that the MI5 plotted to undermine Harold Wilson "This allegation was exhaustively investigated and it was concluded, as stated publicly by Ministers, that no such plot had ever existed. Wright himself finally admitted in an interview with BBC1's "Panorama" programme in 1988 that his account had been unreliable," the site says.

Another myth dispelled is that MI5 only hires short people. [not heard that one. Ed]

"Contrary to media reporting, we do not just recruit people under 5"11. There is a height restriction in place for our mobile surveillance recruitment campaign, but no such restrictions exist for any of the other campaigns. You can be tall and work for the Security Service!" the site says. So that is all right then.

Another myth, the site says, is that MI5 has access to all official computers

"If we have a legitimate requirement for information from other departments, we request that information formally and on an individual basis."

Apparently it does not bump people off either. µ