Terrorist activity detected from reports of dustbin contents

Dear Mr Gall

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2009030007745

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 25/03/2009. I note you seek
access to the following information:

* You are currently running an advertising campaign that features a
poster showing a dustbin containing chemical containers. Under Freedom
of Information, please can you tell me the number of instances in the
last four years where you have received a report from a member of the
public of suspicious dustbin contents that have, on investigation,
been found to be related to terrorist activity.
* Please note, I am not asking for operational details or sensitive
information. If the number of instances is less than five, I hope you
can tell me the exact number. If it is more, then to the nearest 10
would be acceptable. Specifically, if you have no record of such
instances, please state that. Please note also that by "terrorist
activity", I mean what the man on the street would recognise to be
terrorist activity, not activity that just happens to fall under the
remit of officers or departments that deal with terrorism or activity
that, although originally suspected to be terrorism-related, turned
out to be purely criminal, or innocent.

Please accept this letter as an acknowledgement of receipt of your
request, which has been considered under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 (FOIA).

DECISION

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act), this
letter represents a Refusal Notice for this particular request under
Section 17(4).

Section 17(4) of the Act provides:

(4) A public authority is not obliged to make a statement under subsection
(1)(c) or (3) if, or to the extent that, the statement would involve the
disclosure of information which would itself be exempt information.

The Metropolitan Police Service neither confirms nor denies that it holds
the information you requested as the duty in Section 1(1)(a) of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 does not apply by virtue of the following
exemption:

Section 40(5) - Personal Information / Absolute Exemption
To confirm or deny whether personal information exists under the Freedom
of Information Act 2000, would publicly reveal information about an
individual(s), breaching the right to privacy afforded to persons under
the Data Protection Act 1998.

However, this notice does not confirm or deny that the MPS holds the
information that you have requested.

Should your request be in relation to your personal information, please
complete form 3019 (available from any MPS Station, or from
http://www.met.police.uk/information/req..., or by calling 020
7161 3500). Please note that a fee of £10.00 and proof of identification
is required to process a request. This process may also take up to 40 days
from receipt of your completed application.

Please note that if you require a prosecution/conviction history check and
your current address is outside the MPS area, you must apply to your local
Police Force. If you currently live outside the UK, you will need to apply
to the Police Force area in which you resided when you were in the UK. You
can contact them via the link page:http://www.police.uk/forces.htm and
click on the Police Force or Constabulary.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

If you are dissatisfied with this response please read the attached paper
entitled Complaint Rights, which explains how to make a complaint.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please
contact me on 020 7161 3527 or at the address at the top of this letter,
quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

Shannon Aldridge
Support Officer

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to
discuss the decision with the case officer that dealt with your request.

Ask to have the decision looked at again -

The quickest and easiest way to have the decision looked at again is to
telephone the case officer that is nominated at the end of your decision
letter.

That person will be able to discuss the decision, explain any issues and
assist with any problems.

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 40 working days.

The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 01625 545 700

show quoted sections

Dear Mr Gall

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2009030007745
I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 25/03/2009. I note you seek
access to the following information:

* You are currently running an advertising campaign that features a
poster showing a dustbin containing chemical containers. Under Freedom
of Information, please can you tell me the number of instances in the
last four years where you have received a report from a member of the
public of suspicious dustbin contents that have, on investigation,
been found to be related to terrorist activity. Please note, I am not
asking for operational details or sensitive information. If the number
of instances is less than five, I hope you can tell me the exact
number. If it is more, then to the nearest 10 would be acceptable.
Specifically, if you have no record of such instances, please state
that. Please note also that by "terrorist activity", I mean what the
man on the street would recognise to be terrorist activity, not
activity that just happens to fall under the remit of officers or
departments that deal with terrorism or activity that, although
originally suspected to be terrorism-related, turned out to be purely
criminal, or innocent.

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (the Act). You will receive a response within
the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Act,
subject to the information not being exempt or containing a reference
to a third party. In some circumstances the MPS may be unable to
achieve this deadline. If this is likely you will be informed and
given a revised time-scale at the earliest opportunity.

Some requests may also require either full or partial transference to
another public authority in order to answer your query in the fullest
possible way. Again, you will be informed if this is the case.

I apologise for the email that was sent to you in error on 27/03/2009
and can assure you your request is being dealt with.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet, which details your
right of complaint.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please
write or contact Shannon Aldridge on telephone number 020 7161 3527
quoting the reference number above.

Yours sincerely

Shannon Aldridge
Support Officer
COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think
the decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to
discuss the decision with the case officer that dealt with your
request.

Ask to have the decision looked at again –

The quickest and easiest way to have the decision looked at again is
to telephone the case officer that is nominated at the end of your
decision letter.

That person will be able to discuss the decision, explain any issues
and assist with any problems.

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision
of the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act)
regarding access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS
to have the decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1SF

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 40 working days.
The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied
with the decision you may make application to the Information
Commissioner for a decision on whether the request for information has
been dealt with in accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information
Commissioner please visit their website at
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk. Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 01625 545 700

show quoted sections

Dear Mr Gall

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 2009030007745

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 25/03/2009. I note you seek
access to the following information:

You are currently running an advertising campaign that features a poster
showing a dustbin containing chemical containers. Under Freedom of
Information, please can you tell me the number of instances in the last
four years where you have received a report from a member of the public of
suspicious dustbin contents that have, on investigation, been found to be
related to terrorist activity.

Please note, I am not asking for operational details or sensitive
information. If the number of instances is less than five, I hope you can
tell me the exact number. If it is more, then to the nearest 10 would be
acceptable. Specifically, if you have no record of such instances, please
state that. Please note also that by "terrorist activity", I mean what the
man on the street would recognise to be terrorist activity, not activity
that just happens to fall under the remit of officers or departments that
deal with terrorism or activity that, although originally suspected to be
terrorism-related, turned out to be purely criminal, or innocent.

This letter is to inform you that it will not be possible to respond to
your request within the cost threshold. It would require a search of the
entire Crime reporting system to identify those cases where there had been
such a report of suspicious packages in the street which fit the criteria
outlined within your request.

We estimate that the cost of complying with this request would exceed the
appropriate limit. The appropriate limit has been specified in regulations
and for agencies outside central Government; this is set at **450.00.
This represents the estimated cost of one person spending 18 hours [at a
rate of **25 per hour] in determining whether the MPS holds the
information, and locating, retrieving and extracting the information.

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, this letter acts
as a Refusal Notice.

Section 17(5) of the Act provides:

(5) A public authority which, in relation to any request for information,
is relying on a claim that section 12 or 14 applies must, within the time
for complying with section 1(1), give the applicant a notice stating that
fact.

Section 12 of the Act provides:

(1) Section 1(1) does not oblige a public authority to comply with a
request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of
complying with the request would exceed the appropriate limit.

Under Section 16 (duty to assist) we are required to offer you the
opportunity to redefine your request within the cost limit. Therefore, we
invite you to redefine your request within three months from the date of
this letter. If we do not hear from you by 3 July 2009 we will treat this
request as withdrawn.

The extract below from the Metropolitan Police Service website explains
the background to the campaign that you are referring to. I have attached
a link for your information.

http://www.met.police.uk/campaigns/count...

This national publicity campaign across England and Wales raises awareness
of the Anti-Terrorist Hotline and gives the public examples of suspicious
activity and behaviour. The public are encouraged to trust their instincts
and report anything confidentially to the Anti-Terrorist Hotline, where
specialist officers will take their call.

This campaign utilises London specific media: radio and press, posters at
tube and rail stations. As part of the national campaign there will also
be national press and national commercial radio advertising, large outdoor
posters and advertising on the rears of buses. To ensure the campaign
reaches minority communities, there will also be advertising in minority
media press titles.

Press advertising will appear in national newspapers and on main
commercial radio stations. In London, this includes the Evening Standard,
Magic, Heart, Total LBC, Smooth and Capital FM.

The press ads seek to raise awareness of some of the items/activities
which may be needed by, or be of use to, terrorists. It asks the public to
consider whether they have seen any activity connected with them which may
have made them suspicious.

Radio advertising has been devised to complement the press ads and
reiterates how any piece of information could prove vital and asking the
public to call the confidential Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Your attention is drawn to the attached sheet which details your right of
complaint.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please write
or contact Gill Brown on telephone number 0207 230 2401 quoting the
reference number above.

Yours sincerely

Gill Brown
Information Manager

COMPLAINT RIGHTS

Are you unhappy with how your request has been handled or do you think the
decision is incorrect?

You have the right to require the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to
review their decision.

Prior to lodging a formal complaint you are welcome and encouraged to
discuss the decision with the case officer that dealt with your request.

Ask to have the decision looked at again ***

The quickest and easiest way to have the decision looked at again is to
telephone the case officer that is nominated at the end of your decision
letter.

That person will be able to discuss the decision, explain any issues and
assist with any problems.

Complaint

If you are dissatisfied with the handling procedures or the decision of
the MPS made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) regarding
access to information you can lodge a complaint with the MPS to have the
decision reviewed.

Complaints should be made in writing and addressed to:

FOI Complaint
Public Access Office
PO Box 57192
London
SW6 1TR

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 40 working days.
The Information Commissioner

After lodging a complaint with the MPS if you are still dissatisfied with
the decision you may make application to the Information Commissioner for
a decision on whether the request for information has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act.

For information on how to make application to the Information Commissioner
please visit their website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.
Alternatively, phone or write to:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Phone: 01625 545 700

show quoted sections