Sunday Mirror report about Jonathan Evans becoming the new head of MI5
How accurate is this report in the Sunday Mirror tabloid newspaper ?:
21 January 2007
JON GETS THE JOB AS MI5 BOSS
By Vincent Moss Political EditorTHE SPY who has led Britain's fight against al-Qaeda terrorists is to become head of MI5 - the job held by fictional "M" in the James Bond films.
The fictional "M" in the James Bond films is not the head of the Security Service MI5, but rather of the Secret Intelligence Service MI6.
Is this a "blame it on the sub-editors" error ?
Jonathan Evans will replace Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller who retires as director general of the security service next April.
Why is the Sunday Mirror apparently this week's favoured recipient of such an anonymous Government briefing ? Tabloid Sunday newspapers usually have access to official contacts within Whitehall, and no other names as likely candidates for the job seem to have been mentioned by the rest of the mainstream media.
He is currently her deputy in charge of counter-terrorism, overseeing efforts to combat up to 30 major al-Qaeda terror plots in Britain.Ministers are said to hold the "career spy" in high regard. and Whitehall mandarins are expected to announce his appointment shortly.
A senior source said: "He's a good communicator and has a great grasp of detail."
Evans served as head of G branch - MI5's international terrorism section.
Ministers denied Dame Eliza's departure was due to MI5's failure to prevent the July 7, 2005 bombings in London which killed 52.
If Jonathan Evans replaces Dame Eliza Mannigham-Buller, then what can he possibly say to any future Public Inquiry into the London bomb attacks on the 7th July and the failed bomb attacks of the 21st July 2005, when he was directly in charge of investigating such terrorist plots at the time ?