Tuesday 14 August 2012

"Operation Mason" - introduction

Out of the hundreds of items of evidence listed on the Hutton website there is one that has caused more interest than perhaps any other.  Under the "Thames Valley Police" tab it reads TVP Tactical Support Major Incident Policy Book: Operation 'Mason' Between 1430 17.07.03 and 0930 18.07.03, DCI Alan Young - not for release - Police operational information  TVP/10/0099 - 0105

As can be seen it consists of 7 pages.

My fourth entry on this blog was called "The Tenacious Ten" in which I recorded my gratitude to ten ladies and gentlemen whose work on the Kelly investigation has so advanced our knowledge on the subject.  They have all brought important facts and opinions to the table.  This is very fortunate for me because, whereas I really didn't know anything much about "Major Incident Policy books", one of the ten does and has made things clear to me.

This is an example of what a Major Incident log book looks like http://www.northants.police.uk/lrf/documents/Loggist/20110630%5ELog%20Book%5EJune%202011.pdf 

What it should used for - see 8.8 Minutes in this large and informative download http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=major%20incident%20policy%20log%20book%20berkshire&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CEwQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wokingham.gov.uk%2FEasysiteWeb%2Fgetresource.axd%3FAssetID%3D2973%26type%3Dfull%26servicetype%3DAttachment&ei=s-IcUJ-mGe6QiAfrjYHoBA&usg=AFQjCNGjVcD1Zs4HXX_YC29Do-2aICP4IA&cad=rja 

Thames Valley Police have at last enlightened us about Operation Mason via their response to a Freedom of Information request http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/aboutus/aboutus-depts/aboutus-depts-infman/aboutus-depts-foi/aboutus-depts-foi-disclosure-log/aboutus-depts-foi-disclosure-log-investigate/aboutus-depts-foi-disclosure-log-item.htm?id=214415

Unsurprisingly the use of the word "Mason" gave rise to plenty of conspiracy theories about connections to freemasonry.  Now I wouldn't be at all surprised about the involvement of freemasonry here but think that using "Mason" was just unfortunate.  DCI Young told Norman Baker that names for operations are allocated alphabetically and that "Mason" was the next one on the list (page 49 of his book).

Interestingly there is this question and response in TVP's FoI log: 


Investigation into the death of Dr David Kelly

22 December 2011, 1:06 pm
Introduction
This request, reference RFI2007000271, was received on Wednesday 13 June 2007, 1:06pm.
Question
Please could you inform me as to how Operation Mason got its name? This was the search for Dr David Kelly
Response
Each Police area has an identifying letter (in this case the letter M), a word is then chosen from a populated list beginning with this letter 

As it was lodged in June 2007 I am guessing that it came from Mr Baker who perhaps made a formal FoI request as well as speaking to DCI Young.


  

2 comments:

  1. I have been looking into the circumstances relating to the death of Dr. David Kelly for a few days now, and I have been very grateful for the information provided by various people, who may be members of the Tenacious Ten, particularly the information provided by the doctors who have become interested in this case for various reasons.

    I personally believe that the name Operation Mason is either a co-incidence, as has been suggested, or a deliberate attempt to get conspiracy theorists looking in the wrong direction.

    The response from Thames Valley Police, quoted above appears to be about the only question that they have replied to positively, probably because it lends very little to our understanding of what happened to Dr. Kelly.

    In my opinion, there is abundant evidence that there was not a completely full and clear investigation into his disappearance and death, and with some of those who gave evidence to the enquiry changing their story in later years, perhaps it is now time, 10 years on from the events, for there to be a fully independent public enquiry into the affair, together with a coroner's inquest, with the power to summon witnesses, who would be required to make their statements under oath.

    Knowing the way things seem to work (or not) in this country, I am not holding my breath!

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  2. I do not think there is anything sinister in the use of the word 'Mason' for the TVP report. I requested a copy of the report some two years ago and was refused it on the grounds that it is not in the public interest to release it. I would have thought that the state sponsored murder/cover-up of one of Her Majesty's subjects was very much in the public interest! I have written a letter to the Prime Minister regarding ordering a proper inquest into the death of Dr Kelly and have received a totally inadequate reply from his [non]communication unit. I am about to write again.

    As for Officer Malcolm Hopgood, hasn't he done a wonderful job for the TVP over the last ten years in his stoic determination not to let anyone know anything about what actually happened to Dr Kelly! He will get a good pension, possibly a gong!
    I am about to write to him 'n all.

    Keep up the good works everyone, we will get there.

    ReplyDelete