Security details for G-8 summit leaked, says paper

Hasan Suroor

Operation Sorbus revealed by an "intelligence operative"

LONDON: The British Government was facing embarrassment on Sunday after a newspaper disclosed what it claimed were details of "confidential'' security plans meant to protect U.S. President George W. Bush and other world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, at next month's summit of industrialised nations (G-8) in Gleneagles, Scotland.

The Independent on Sunday, which splashed the "leak'' on its front page, said details of the security operation codenamed "Operation Sorbus'' had been revealed by a "member of the intelligence community'' in Scotland to highlight the Government's "complacency'' on the issue. The newspaper said it was not disclosing operational details but published "official'' photographs of the estate and the hotel where Mr. Bush, his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and other leaders would be staying for three days.

Other information, which it claimed to possess, included the location of a base to be used by special forces, and maps showing details of "reinforced fencing to keep out would-be bombers and protesters''.

It said: "The whistleblower revealed the highly sensitive information because, he said, he wanted to shock Ministers, who he claimed, were taking for granted security arrangements for the summit.''

The alleged whistleblower was quoted as saying that he had been "increasingly appalled by the air of complacency'' among Ministers. "The release of a portion of non-operational material is intended as a wake-up call before that complacency becomes truly dangerous,'' he said.

The Home Office declined to react, saying it was a policy not to comment on leaked reports but insisted "thorough'' security arrangements were in place.