Thread by @MarkWatts_1

Day 11 of #SpyCopsInquiry: two #spycops who operated in 1969-72 due to be called – “Dick Epps” and “Alan Nixon”/”Alan Bailey”.

Summary of evidence from third #spycop in 1968-69, whose cover name (as well as real name) is being kept secret, due to be read out by inquiry lawyer.

“Dick Epps” in his statement to #SpyCopsInquiry on Conrad Dixon, who set up and headed Met’s SDS, its initial #spycop unit. “Conrad was a clever man, but also an ambitious and devious man. He saw an opportunity for himself as well as an opportunity to create something useful.”

As a Special Branch officer but before becoming a #spycop, “Dick Epps” was deployed to US embassy at time of the anti-Vietnam war demonstrations.

He says in statement: “The Americans had set up a machine gun inside the lobby of the building, ready to defend it if necessary.”

More from “Dick Epps” on his view of Conrad Dixon from before his time as head of the Special Demonstration Squad, when they both worked elsewhere in Special Branch: “I considered him a brash chancer.”

As a #spycop, “Dick Epps” says that he first infiltrated “a Maoist group”, the Britain Vietnam Solidarity Front in 1969.

He says that three undercover officers were placed with the BVSF at one stage. Its leader, Abimanyu Manchanda, “always seemed to view me with suspicion...”

“Dick Epps” in his statement to #SpyCopsInquiry: “I remember being challenged by Manchanda. I was directly asked about some of my background.

“I felt that it was an indication to me that I was clearly suspect and therefore didn’t deem it appropriate to stay around anymore.”

“Dick Epps” then targeted other anti-Vietnam war groups, and from there, the Stop the 70’s Tour, an anti-apatheid group.

The “driving force” for STST was Peter Hain. It “got up to all sorts of well-publicised antics, digging up the pitch at Lords, pouring oil over the wicket.”

“Whilst my involvement was limited to a few meetings and demonstrations, I am aware that another field officer, Mike Ferguson, effectively became Peter Hain’s right-hand man. I have no idea how he managed to end up in that position.” Statement by “Dick Epps” to #SpyCopsInquiry.

“Mike Ferguson was in a league of his own when it came to undercover work,” says “Dick Epps” to #SpyCopsInquiry.

He was “single-minded” + “very successful at integrating himself”. “Epps” did not see it as necessary “but equally, everyone was impressed by his ability to do it.”

“Dick Epps” says that he wrote far more #spycop reports than #SpyCopsInquiry has obtained.

“I think I probably submitted written reports two-three times per week, and I have been presented [by inquiry] with far fewer documents [than] that,” he says in his written statement.

“Dick Epps” appeared in a BBC documentary, True Spies, using pseudonym “Dan”.

He says in statement to #SpyCopsInquiry that he consulted senior Met management, Roger Pearce and Ben Gunn, who said that they had approved the approach to him.

“Dick Epps” confirms, as he said in True Spies, that while infiltrating the International Marxist Group he obtained copies of its office keys.

He says that Phil Saunders, by then head of SDS, told him to take pressings, suggesting that MI5 might be interested in taking them.

A telephone intercept picked up Tariq Ali saying that “Dick Epps” was a reformist not a revolutionary, “Epps” says, adding that managers warned him that he would be challenged at the next IMG meeting.

He says that IMG members did challenge him, but did not out him as a #spycop.

“Dick Epps” told ‘Operation Herne’ that he was in #spycops unit SDS from 1968 to 1972, but tells #SpyCopsInquiry that saying 1972 was a mistake. He left in 1970.

He resumed “normal Special Branch duties without the likely embarrassment of being ‘spotted’ by former contacts.”

Extra hearing scheduled for #SpyCopsInquiry for tomorrow (it was due to be a day off).

We are due to hear opening statement by Dave Smith of Blacklist Support Group from 10am. He could not give it before evidence sessions began because he had contracted coronavirus.

This afternoon, a second #spycop is testifying at the #SpyCopsInquiry.

He says in his statement that he used “Alan Nixon” or “Alan Bailey” as his cover name. He cannot remember which, but thinks that it was Bailey.

He transferred to Met’s #spycops unit SDS in late 1969.

Like “Dick Epps” this morning, “Alan Bailey” tells #SpyCopsInquiry that it does not have all of the material that he reported.

“It seems that there is a significant quantity of information which is not present that I would have provided at the time,” he says.

”Alan Bailey” says that he went to a public meeting of the International Marxist Group, and approached Tariq Ali and Vanessa Redgrave there.

Ali suggested that he go to the next meeting of the North London Red Circle, which “Bailey” viewed as a “recruiting ground” for the IMG.

“The only role I occupied in the organisation was administering the tea fund as this gave me a way to find out members’ surnames without attracting attention,” says ”Alan Bailey” of his time with the North London Red Circle.

Special Branch, ”Alan Bailey” tells #SpyCopsInquiry, “was protective of its existence”.

There was “secrecy surrounding the SDS above and beyond that”.

“Bailey” was a #spycop until 1972, then worked in the “back office” before working elsewhere in Special Branch.

“The police were on the wrong side of justice, on the wrong side of the law, and on the wrong side of history.”

Peter Hain on #spycops, who he says repeatedly targeted the “wrong side” in the divides over environment, justice campaigns and racism.

theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

Plan to hear a summary of evidence from a third #spycop was dropped today.

But there has been a more significant development...

I understand that #SpyCopsInquiry has put time aside tomorrow, on what had been due to be a non-sitting day, for non-core participants’ lawyers to make an application on the scope of questioning for witnesses after Sir John Mitting mostly rejected most requests to put such qus.