MI5 fails to block book of secret wars

THE intelligence services have failed in their bid to stop the publication in Britain of a book said to contain the names of as-yet unidentified officers.

The book, Secret Wars: One Hundred Years Of British Intelligence Inside MI5 And MI6, could not be kept from the public using an injunction as the courts recognised it is already widely available in America. Some of the book is even on the internet, including the index.

The book, by Gordon Thomas, marks the centenary of MI5 and MI6. MI5 is releasing an official history in October, written by Cambridge historian Christopher Andrew, and MI6's official history by Queen's University Belfast professor of history, Keith Jeffrey, will be released next year.

Secret Wars was published two months ago in America and will be published in Britain on 4 May. Despite opposing the book's British release, Whitehall officials have already said no officer has had to be taken away from operations.

Thomas's sources include former MI6 officer Richard Tomlinson; Annie Machon, former partner of David Shayler; and former MI5 officer Peter Wright. Past governments unsuccessfully tried to ban Mr Wright's memoirs Spycatcher and Mr Tomlinson's, The Big Breach.