Police split by siege

Press, 26 April 1984, Page 10

Police split by siege

NZPA-AAP London Senior British police, officers were in open disagreement yesterday over the possible use of force to end the Libyan Embassy siege, a newspaper reported. The “Standard” newspaper said that the conflict had been sparked by the remarks of Chief Superintendent John Keyte, secretary of the Superintendents’ Association.

Mr Keyte had referred to the possibility of storming the Libyan People’s Bureau in central London during a BBC television interview.

A Scotland Yard Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Mr

John Cracknell, later issued a statement that in effect said that the handling of the siege was none of Mr Keyte’s business. Another senior Scotland Yard officer, who asked not to be named, said that there could be grave consequences if the Libyans in the embassy misinterpreted Mr Keyte’s remarks. “Bear in mind the Libyans have TV sets in there,” he said. “If they take the attitude that a senior British policeman is threatening violence six days before they are due to leave London, the cpnsequences could be serious.”

Mr Keyte had expressed “concern” that the killer of a police officer should be allowed to leave Britain' without being punished. But he said that he understood the “political pressures” that had led to the British Government’s decision to expel all Libyan Bureau staff and break off diplomatic relations with Colonel Muammar Gadaffi’s regime. After the interview Mr Cracknell said, “I wish to point out that Keyte has no operational involvement either in this incident or in the Metropolitan Police.”