UK terror spies 'thwarted'

LONDON - Al Qaeda sympathisers have been trying to infiltrate British security service MI5, the BBC has reported the Government as saying.

The infiltrators tried to take advantage of a sharp expansion in MI5's numbers by applying for jobs at the agency.

However, the attempt failed because the suspicious applicants were weeded out during a six-to-eight month vetting process, it said, quoting Government officials.

Britain's Home Office, which speaks for MI5, declined to confirm or deny the report.

"All applicants for jobs at the Security Service/MI5 are subject to a rigorous vetting procedure and a number of candidates are turned down on security vetting grounds," it said.

Tens of thousands of people apply to join MI5 each year, with 400 making it through to final selection, the BBC said.

Applicants' backgrounds and sympathies are intensively investigated.

The number of MI5 officers is set to rise to 3500 from 2600 now to try to prevent attacks such as the suicide bombing in London a year ago which killed 52.

- REUTERS