CAIRO,
July 25 (IslamOnline.net) - Britain is establishing a new special
forces division to penetrate into anti-west, suspected of planning to
launch terrorist attacks, such as Al-Qaeda, a British newspaper
revealed Sunday, July 25.
The
troop's main task is to go through terrorist groups, either directly
or by turning terrorists into double agents, the Sunday Telegraph said.
The
regiment will reportedly comprise up to 600 troops and will be based
in South Wales under the command of a lieutenant colonel with a
special forces background, according to the daily.
The
division will be authorized to operate around the world, working
closely with "friendly" intelligence agencies such as the
United States' CIA and Israel's Mossad, the paper said.
It
added that the regiment, named the Reconnaissance and Surveillance
Regiment, is to run a network of agents, giving precise intelligence
to the Western countries on possible terrorist attacks, allowing the
operations to be thwarted.
"This
unit will be used primarily for intelligence gathering," a senior
officer associated with the formation of the new regiment told the Sunday
Telegraph.
To
Kill
The
unit will work closely with Britain's existing elite Special Air
Service (SAS) and Special Boat Service (SBS), the daily said.
"The
SAS's role is essentially to kill people. This new regiment's role is
to provide the intelligence for the SAS to do that," an officer
told the paper.
The
force will be first joined by members of the a highly secret
surveillance agency - the Joint Communications Unit Northern Ireland -
which has operated in Ulster for more than 20 years.
The
Unit, which worked with the SAS, MI5 and the Special Branch, excelled
the art of covert surveillance in urban and rural areas, the daily
went on.
"It
has also established a network of double agents who provided the
British security forces with intelligence on terrorist attacks."
The
unit's reputation, explained the daily, stemmed from ability to plant
listening devices and cameras in the homes and cars of terrorists, to
bug phones and to monitor suspects at close quarters.
"One
of its successes was providing the information for the SAS operation
in 1988 which led to the shooting dead of three IRA terrorists who
were planning to attack British forces in Gibraltar."
Recruitment
Those
recruited for the regiment, both male and female, will be chosen from
all three branches of the British Armed Forces.
Those
of a Middle Eastern and Mediterranean appearance as well as Muslims
and members of ethnic minorities will be preferred.
Priority
will be given to those who have the ability to penetrate in and mix up
with the anti-west groups.
Recruiters
must pass an intensive six-month training course, learning covert
surveillance, communications, driving skills and first aid as well as
close-quarter battle skills, using a variety of weapons, according to the
Sunday Telegraph.
"Those
who pass will join an Arabic course at the Armed Forces language
school at Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire."
Target
