Iranian Embassy Siege 1980 Telephone recordings & video footage

Gareth Clements made this Freedom of Information request to Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) did not have the information requested.

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

I would like to request copies of the original taped phone recordings from the 6 day siege between the gunmen inside the Iranian Embassy and the Police. Some of the phone calls are well documented on TV programs, but out of interest I would like to hear the entire collection of recordings that were made including the sound recording that occured during the assault by the SAS.

I would also like to request video footage that was made at the time of the assault by the SAS including footage from the rear of the building and any other covert footage that was made inside & outside of the building during the entire siege.

Yours faithfully,

Gareth Clements

Cyclops on behalf of Rozmarie Loizou, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

1 Attachment

 

Official Sensitive

     

 

 

 

 

 

Information Rights Unit
PO Box 313
  Sidcup
DA15 0HH
  United Kingdom

  Our Ref: 01/FOI/19/012830

  Date: 30/12/2019

   

 

 

 

Dear Mr Clements

 

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 01/FOI/19/012830

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 25/12/2019.  I note you seek
access to the following information:

 

"I would like to request copies of the original taped phone recordings
from the 6 day siege between the gunmen inside the Iranian Embassy and the
Police. Some of the phone calls are well documented on TV programs, but
out of interest I would like to hear the entire collection of recordings
that were made including the sound recording that occured during the
assault by the SAS.

I would also like to request video footage that was made at the time of
the assault by the SAS including footage from the rear of the building and
any other covert footage that was made inside & outside of the building
during the entire siege."

 

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.  

 

If you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please contact
us at [email address] quoting the reference number above. Should your
enquiry relate to the logging or allocations process we will be able to
assist you directly and where your enquiry relates to other matters (such
as the status of the request) we will be able to pass on a message and/or
advise you of the relevant contact details. 

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

R. Loizou

 

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 to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

 

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, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

 

FOI Complaint

Information Rights Unit

PO Box 57192

London

SW6 1SF

[email address]

 

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 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.ico.org.uk.  Alternatively, write to or
phone:

 

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113

Dear Cyclops on behalf of Rozmarie Loizou,

I have not heard any reply following my request. Can you please give me a timescale and state whether this request is bring looked into. I do appreciate there is probably a lot of material to go through, and I am not sure whether or not the information I asked for will be in digital form.

Yours sincerely,

Gareth Clements

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Mr Clements,

Thank you for your email. I am sorry that the MPS has not been able to respond to your request within the 20 working day period. I have checked our system and can see that the person dealing with this matter is IM Charmine Gayle-Petrou.

Charmine, please would you provide Mr Clement with an update on this request?

Regards,
Yogita Singh| Administration Team |
Strategy & Insight | Strategy & Governance | METHQ | Metropolitan Police Service
| Email [email address]
Address:- Information Rights Unit, PO Box 313, Sidcup DA15 0HH

Protective Marking: RESTRICTED
Not Suitable for Publication:
Recipients of this email should be aware that all communications within and to and from the Metropolitan Police Service are subject to consideration for release under the General Data Protection Regulations, Data Protection Act, Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations. The MPS will consider information for release unless there is a valid and proportionate public interest reason(s) not to, therefore, sensitive information not for public disclosure must be highlighted as such. Further advice can be obtained from the Information Rights Unit

show quoted sections

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Mr Clements

Apologies for not providing you with an update.

I am managing a large number of requests at this time and am also the only member of staff in the unit.

With regards to your request, given the information being sought and the date of this incident, searches are still ongoing.

I am liaising with a specific unit to determine whether they hold any information and have just been advised that their searches are still in progress. I have requested an update by the end of the week.

Following this, if your response is ready to be drafted, we have a stringent approval process. As such, any reply is unlikely to be forwarded to you until approximately week commencing 10/02/2020.

Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience that this delay may cause.

Kind regards

C. Gayle-Petrou

show quoted sections

Dear Cyclops on behalf of Charmine Gayle-Petrou,

The attachment you sent me was addressed to a Ms Horrocks and had nothing to do with my request.

Yours sincerely,

Gareth Clements

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

I am currently out of the office until Monday 24th February 2020.

 

Emails will not be read until my return.

 

If you have a general FOI query, please direct to [email address]

Kind Regards.

C. Gayle-Petrou

 

NOTICE - This email and any attachments are solely for the intended
recipient and may be confidential.  If you have received this email in
error, please notify the sender and delete it from your system.  Do not
use, copy or disclose the information contained in this email or in any
attachment without the permission of the sender.  Metropolitan Police
Service (MPS) communication systems are monitored to the extent permitted
by law and any email and/or attachments may be read by monitoring staff. 
Only specified personnel are authorised to conclude binding agreements on
behalf of the MPS by email and no responsibility is accepted for
unauthorised agreements reached with other personnel.  While reasonable
precautions have been taken to ensure no viruses are present in this
email, its security and that of any attachments cannot be guaranteed.

 

Cyclops on behalf of Charmine Gayle-Petrou, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

2 Attachments

 

Official Sensitive

     

 

 

 

Dear Mr Clements

 

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 01/FOI/19/012830

 

I write further to your notification of the error in providing you with
another applicant's response.  

Please accept my apologies and find attached the MPS response relevant to
your request.

I would be grateful if you could kindly delete the previous response sent
to you.  If you are not able to complete this action, please could you
liaise with 'What Do They Know' to undertake the deletion.

Yours sincerely

 

 

C. Gayle-Petrou

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 we invite you to email any queries to
the case officer who dealt with your request.  

 

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, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

 

FOI Complaint

Information Rights Unit

PO Box 57192

London

SW6 1SF

[email address]

 

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 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.ico.org.uk.  Alternatively, write to or
phone:

 

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113

Gareth Clements

Dear Cyclops on behalf of Charmine Gayle-Petrou,

Many thanks for the reply. Would it be possible to have copies of the paperwork you have mentioned in your response? Also any other documents relating to this incident please.

Yours sincerely,

Gareth Clements

Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

Dear Mr Clements

You will appreciate that this was a high profile incident and as such a large and varying amount of information will be held.

You are advised to be more specific in the information that you seek, as to conduct a review all that is held to determine what, if any information is suitable for disclosure, is likely to be a significant burden and therefore invoke a refusal on the grounds that it is vexatious.

Thank you.

C. Gayle-Petrou

show quoted sections

Gareth Clements

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

Hello just documents behind the planning of the Assault by the SAS will suffice. All other documents can be discarded.

Yours faithfully,

Gareth Clements

Cyclops on behalf of Peter Deja, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

1 Attachment

 

Official Sensitive

     

 

 

 

 

 

Information Rights Unit
  PO Box 313, SIDCUP DA15 0HH

  United Kingdom

  Our Ref: 01/FOI/20/013753

  Date: 03/03/2020

   

 

 

 

Dear Mr  Clements

 

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 01/FOI/20/013753

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 03/03/2020.  I note you seek
access to the following information:

 

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),

Hello just documents behind the planning of the Assault by the SAS will
suffice. All other documents can be discarded

 

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.  

 

If you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please contact
us at [email address] quoting the reference number above. Should your
enquiry relate to the logging or allocations process we will be able to
assist you directly and where your enquiry relates to other matters (such
as the status of the request) we will be able to pass on a message and/or
advise you of the relevant contact details. 

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Peter Deja

 

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 to discuss the
response with the case officer who dealt with your request.  

 

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, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

 

FOI Complaint

Information Rights Unit

PO Box 57192

London

SW6 1SF

[email address]

 

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 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.ico.org.uk.  Alternatively, write to or
phone:

 

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113

Cyclops on behalf of Charmine Gayle-Petrou, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

1 Attachment

Letterhead

 

      Official Sensitive

 

 

[1]www.met.police.uk

 

Your ref: 
Our ref: 01/FOI/20/013753

 

03/04/2020

 

 

 
 

 

 

Dear Mr Clements

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 01/FOI/20/013753

I write in connection with your request for information which was received
by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 03/03/2020.  I note you seek
access to the following information:

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),
 
 Hello just documents behind the planning of the Assault by the SAS will
suffice. All other documents can be discarded

I am sorry to advise that I am currently unable to proceed with your
request.  Due to the current Government guidelines relating to COVID-19
and non-essential travel, I am not office-based at this time.

As such, I am unable to review the necessary files to determine whether
the information you seek is held and suitable for disclosure.

Once these restrictions have been lifted, I will contact you again to
advise of a likely response time to your request.

Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience that this delay may
cause.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please
contact me via email at FOIA&[email address], quoting the
reference number above.

Yours sincerely

C. Gayle-Petrou

Information Manager

 

      Official Sensitive

References

Visible links
1. http://www.met.police.uk/

Matt Knight left an annotation ()

The WhatDoTheyKnow.com Administration Team have today, 3rd April 2020, acted to remove a response dated 18th February 2020 from this request.

This is because the response was erroneously sent to the request, and was unrelated to the subject matter. The response document also contains third party personal information.

--
Matt
WhatDoTheyKnow.com Volunteer Admin Team

Cyclops on behalf of Charmine Gayle-Petrou, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

1 Attachment

Letterhead

 

      Official Sensitive

 

 

[1]www.met.police.uk

 

Your ref: 
Our ref: 01/FOI/20/013753

 

12/05/2020

 

 

 
 

 

Dear Mr Clements

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 01/FOI/20/013753

I write in connection with your request for information, which was
received by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on 03/03/2020 where you
have sought access to the following information:

Dear Metropolitan Police Service (MPS),
 
 Hello just documents behind the planning of the Assault by the SAS will
suffice. All other documents can be discarded

I corresponded with you on 03/04/2020 to advise that I was unable to
proceed with your request, due to the current Government guidelines
relating to COVID-19 and non-essential travel.  As a result of not being
office-based, I was unable to review the necessary files to determine
whether the information you seek is held and suitable for disclosure.  I
undertook to make contact again once these restrictions were lifted.
 However, given the Government’s guidance issued on 10/05/2020, a return
to office-based working for non-essential staff is unlikely in the near
future.

Therefore, I am contacting you to discuss how to proceed with your
request, as our statutory deadline date to respond was 31/03/2020 and as
of today’s date it is now 27 working days overdue.  In order to prevent
your request being on hold for an unknown period, applicants are being
given the opportunity to withdraw their request and at a time when the
restrictions are lifted and office-based working is resumed, contact will
be made to advise to resubmit the request.  

If this proposal is not accepted, unfortunately, the only other
alternative is for the MPS to refuse your request, due to the requirement
for file reviews to be conducted.  This is because in order to comply with
such a request, would impose a significant burden on staff and cause a
disproportionate effort. Requestors will therefore be issued with a
Section 14(1) – vexatious response.  In explanation, due to current
restrictions only essential staff are working out of MPS buildings. It
would be remiss to ask a member of staff to undertake a review, because to
travel to a MPS building and work there would cause stress to any member
of staff assigned to review and complete any necessary redactions.
Additionally, any MPS staff currently physically in attendance at MPS
buildings are likely engaged in essential front line services. It would be
a misuse of resources to divert these staff away from essential work to
conduct the review and any redaction of a file for the purpose of a FOIA
request. 

At this current time, the MPS has to target its resources to critically
important tasks. To task a member of staff to deal solely with your
request would be a disproportionate and unjustified use of these resources
and would likely detrimentally impact both the physical and mental health
of staff.

I appreciate that this notification may come as a disappointment to you,
but rather than place this request on hold for an undetermined period, I
am seeking approval for it to be withdrawn.

I would be grateful if you could provide me with your decision within the
next 7 days, that is by 18/05/2020.

If a response is not received by this time, I will assume that you wish to
continue with the request and will issue you with a Section 14(1) notice.

Should you have any further enquiries concerning this matter, please
contact me via email at FOIA&[email address], quoting the
reference number above.

Yours sincerely

C. Gayle-Petrou

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 we invite you to email any queries to
the case officer who dealt with your request. 

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, within forty (40) working days from
the date of the refusal notice, and addressed to:

FOI Complaint

Information Rights Unit

PO Box 57192

London

SW6 1SF

[email address]

In all possible circumstances the MPS will aim to respond to your
complaint within 20 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.ico.org.uk.   Alternatively, write to or
phone:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113

 

      Official Sensitive

References

Visible links
1. http://www.met.police.uk/

Cyclops on behalf of Charmine Gayle-Petrou, Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)

2 Attachments

Letterhead

 

      Official Sensitive

 

 

[1]www.met.police.uk

 

Your ref: 
Our ref: 01/FOI/20/013753

 

26/05/2020

 

 

 
 

 

Dear Mr Clements

 

Freedom of Information Request Reference No: 01/FOI/20/013753

 

Please see the attached in respect of your Freedom of Information request
referenced above.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

C. Gayle-Petrou

Information Manager

 

 

      Official Sensitive

References

Visible links
1. http://www.met.police.uk/