Case study A9/23
MI5
Action
Counter-terrorism
Bulk acquisition data was used in 2014 to identify the mobile phone being used by a
dissident Irish republican. The phone was then intercepted, and police were able to
arrest the individual while he was committing a terrorism-related offence but before any
harm had been caused. He was then prosecuted for a number of terrorism-related
offences.
MI5 told the Review team that it would have been possible to identify the mobile phone
without the use of bulk acquisition data. However, the alternative method would have
involved significant collateral intrusion in the form of gathering information about many
telephones, all but one of them of no intelligence interest. This method would also have
taken longer, and so carried the risk that the correct phone might not have been
identified in time to prevent an attack.
Case study A9/24
MI5
Action
Counter-terrorism
In 2014 bulk acquisition data were used by MI5 to identify telephones being used by
dissident Irish republicans who were planning attacks. The phones were then
intercepted. The knowledge gained from this operation informed the joint MI5 and PSNI
investigative strategy. An individual was subsequently arrested and charged with terrorist
and other offences.
180