MI5 building (Anthony Devlin/PA)
(Picture: PA Archive)The BBC has been blocked from naming a “dangerous extremist” suspected of supplying information to MI5 who allegedly physically and emotionally abused two female partners.
The broadcaster fought a High Court battle against Attorney General Suella Braverman over the story, insisting it is in the public interest to identify the Secret Service’s source.
Ms Braverman argued that if the BBC named the man it would damage national security and create “a real and immediate risk of serious or life-threatening harm” to him.
The proposed report would claim the man used his status as an agent, or covert human intelligence source (Chis), to abuse, control and coerce a former partner, referred to by the pseudonym Beth, and that MI5 either knew or ought to have known about this and that it was wrong to use him as an agent.
In a ruling on Thursday, Mr Justice Chamberlain approved an interim injunction to stop the allegations from being aired on national security grounds.
The judge said: “The information about X’s identity, in the context of the allegation that he is a Chis who works or worked for MI5, is – as the BBC accepts – confidential.
“Although X is said to have disclosed it to Beth (his former partner), and she disclosed it to the BBC, it is not known other than to a small group of individuals.
“The attorney has satisfied me that, if it were to become publicly or widely known, there would be a real and immediate risk that X would be killed or seriously injured.
“In order to address that risk, extensive protective measures would have to be, and would be, taken.
“As a result of those measures, public disclosure of X’s identity would have no significant protective effect on women considering entering into a relationship or liaison with X.
“Whilst including X’s name and image would make the BBC’s story more engaging and potentially more attractive to a wider audience, this would come at the expense of material damage to the effectiveness of the work of the security and intelligence agencies and, therefore, the national security of the UK.”
The legal battle has played out partially in secret due to the confidential and classified information involved. But the judge had revealed the basis for the dispute in an earlier ruling, allowing publicity to correct misinformation that had been leaked from within the government.
Making his decision, the judge said the name and image of X would be blocked from publication, while other aspects of his identity may also be included in the interim injunction.
The government said during the dispute that it does not object to the BBC making allegations about a source’s behaviour, but believes naming the man known as X was wrong.
In a statement issued after the ruling, the BBC said the judgment did not prevent it from reporting “key elements” of its story once restrictions are determined.
A spokesperson for the broadcaster said: “This is not the judgment we had hoped for, but it is important to understand what it does and does not mean.
“While the judgment prevents the BBC from identifying X, by showing his picture or naming him, it does not prevent the BBC from reporting key elements of the story, which we will do once the precise restrictions are determined.
“We expect these restrictions to be clarified next week.”
