14/04/2005

New police anti-terror squad launched

A new police anti-terror squad is being launched in Manchester – the first to be introduced in Great Britain outside London.

Based at the headquarters of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and led by Detective Superintendent Peter Minshall, the new squad will be comprised of twenty police officers and four staff.

The squad will be responsible for dealing with terror offences, conducting enquiries and creating contingency plans.

However, GMP have stressed that there is no intelligence to suggest that the area was a target for a terrorist attack.

Det Supt Minshall said that the GMP would tackle the threat of terrorism “head on”. He said: “Counter terrorism investigation is an increasingly specialised area. By selecting a team of experienced detectives with a proven track record in major crime investigations, we aim to be at the forefront of any future developments in this field.”

(KMcA/GB)


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