The man in the photograph is the former head of counter-terrorism at the Metropolitian Police. His name is Andy Hayman.
Mr Hayman is trying to promote his new book The Terrorist Hunters and has decided to criticise Alex Salmond's behaviour after the terror attack on Glasgow Airport. He claims that 48 hours of vital police time was spent negotiating to stop a turf war developing between Edinburgh and London.
He told the Times that he was unable to speak to his senior officers as often as he wanted because they were busy trying to persuade the First Minister to agree that the investigation should be handled by London.
The first two days after a terrorist attack is the most important time for collecting evidence and during that time my most senior person was involved in negotiating over handing over the investigation,” Mr Hayman said.
Jurisdiction for the investigation passed to the authorities in London two days after the attack on the airport on June 30, 2007 after Elish Angiolini, the Lord Advocate, gave her authorisation.
Of course the opposition parties have demanded that the First Minister explain the allegations by Mr Hayman, with Iain Gray and David Mundell being most vocal.
A spokesman for the First Minister denied the claims, saying that neither Mr Salmond nor Mr MacAskill had any contact or dealings with Mr Hayman and were not involved in any of the judicial proceedings.
John Neilson, the Assistant Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police, who headed the investigation into the attack, denied that politicians had influenced the inquiry. “I don't know of any political interference that impacted on the investigation,” he said.
Followed by :
A spokesman for the Crown Office also dismissed Mr Hayman's version of events, saying: “This bears absolutely no resemblance to events in Scotland that weekend.
“The Lord Advocate and her team worked tirelessly with the support of the Scottish ministers over the course of the weekend on June 29 and 30 to ensure that the complex legal issue of jurisdiction was considered quickly but authoritatively.”
Seems London also agrees with the ACC of Strathclyde Police.
Is Mr Hayman mischief-making or telling porkies to sell his scribblings? I would expect a much better standard of professionalism and honesty from a man who held such a senior position in the Met. Surely he realises such allegations can be checked with ease.
If I was Alex Salmond I'd be awfully tempted to take Mr Hayman to court, if only to get his badly researched book withdrawn from sale.
How many copies will he sell in Scotland?
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Sorry to be shallow, but what an insipid looking individual. I cannot imagine there are many terrorists afraid of going car bomb to car bomb with him.
Gray and Mundell should be demanding he apologise to the Scottish government for such scandalous lies in order to sell a book or two.
Well said Monty.
Fondlebum and Jimmy writ large, Subrosa. Plus he gets publicity.
Wrong strategy with the Scots though OR. We can criticise our own but some bloke who write drivel isn't permitted.
I think it's much the same in England isn't it?
I wouldn't expect a very high standard from senior officers in the Met Subrosa. They've hardly been noticeably efficient or effective in recent history. Some have been downright krap.
From shooting innocent people on the tube to knocking innocent passers-by to the ground so ferociously that they die shortly thereafter.... not to mention idiots turning up in downing street with "secret plans" on view for all to see, or all the scandals of police corporate credit cards being used to wine and dine and holiday with erm, 'friends', shall we say.
No, the senior officers at the Met are not an honourable lot. Lying about an enemy of mr Brown's will be nothing to them.
I trust Mr Salmond will make it known to the press that it is a lie, and that our own police agree that it is a lie, and that he's just a cheap wee spiv trying to make even more money with his sordid little book.
I've only ever known one person in the Met Tris and he'll be long retired now. We grew up together and everyone was in total awe when he was accepted by the Met. He was a lad of quality like most lads back in the 50s. Then again, we didn't have the social engineering to the degree we have today.
I would expect a much better standard of professionalism and honesty from a man who held such a senior position in the Met.
Shame on you, sr - I thought you didn't do sarcasm.
I don't Vronsky, but I'm a dab hand at bitchiness. :)
Story in The Times earlier this month claims that this book is under a banning order? The current Met chiefs and various 'spooks' are not happy about this chap's book being sold as fact rather than fiction.
Ah Clarinda now that is interesting and yet the Times did the interview with him just the other day.
I will go and dig around in yahoo to see what I can find.
I found this Clarinda:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/jul/02/andy-hayman-terrorist-hunters-banned
I'm more confused than ever because the Times interview the other day mentions nothing about a ban.
I don't know anyone in the Met Subrosa. I'm basing my opinions on the news that comes out of there with regard to mistakes and thievery. My natural expectation from that organisation is for them to be corrupt incompetent liars, so no disappointment from this man.
Of course there will be a shed load of good people working for them, but their management seems to be, at the very least, flawed.
Such a shame that a once honourable organisation is reduced to what it is today Tris.
Did you read the link to the Guardian? Clarinda told me the book had been banned and it was right enough.
Many question if people from the likes of the Met should be permitted to write such books.
I agree Subrosa. It is particularly sad that we have no trust in these people (not that the Met has much to do with us in Scotland). But just like with the average politician, I don't believe anything that they say. I assume them to lie and cheat and then am pleasantly surprised on occasions when they tell the truth.
I'm glad in a way to see that the book has been banned, but I doubt the value of this sort of thing. It tends to make for notoriety, which often translates as popularity.
Possibly people who work for the police, government or armed forces should be banned from using secret or privileged information to write books after they retire.
I'd say, bang goes his Knighthood though. Tough!
The thing is Tris, the Times interview was just the other day and not one mention of a ban.
You think the Met has nothing to do with you in Scotland eh?
1) Metropolitan Police Officers are sworn Constables in Scotland for the purposes of Royalty Protection and Special Protection Officers.
The Cops in Balmoral or Mey are officers not of the Grampian Police or the Northern Constabulary but of the MPS.
The Police guarding and protecting Gordon Brown or members of HMG are MPS worldwide.
Terrorism is investigated and dealt with by the MPS under English law ONLY as can be seen from this story. That means that anyone in the UK is able to be grasped by the Metropolitan Police.
The other trans-regional crime dealt with in this fashion is serious Economic Crime. Guess who gets that bonus?
City Of London Police.
As far as I can see the London Govt views the Scottish Police forces as pig-ignorant clodhoppers who can scarce tie their own shoelaces.
kwitie, did I say the Met had nothing to do with Scotland? After all it used to be called Scotland Yard didn't it.
The police are from Grampian and NC forces who protect Balmoral. I can give you photographic evidence and also, if I could be bothered, video evidence. Perhaps you mean when the Queen is in residence, then perhaps it's different. I never care to be around there then.
The police who guard Gordon Brown will possibly be Met right enough. I never care to be in that area of Fife when he appears for his 48 hour visits.
We have our own laws here kwitie and I'm sure our legal hierarchy wouldn't permit anyone to overrule them. It would have to be done by negotiation.
Westminster does view all of Scotland as some far flung area which they need to hold onto because of their resources. That's why I support Scottish independence.
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