A police officer caused a major terrorism alert after ringing a busy port with a hoax bomb threat.
PC Hatef Nezami, 48, rang colleagues at the police Special Branch office with a coded message that a device was placed in a busy port. Specialist terrorism staff were so concerned by the call's authentic nature that they started preparing for a full terrorist attack. The constable, who has completed a regional Special Branch terrorism course, said that a bomb was on a Condor ferry based in Poole, Dorset. However at the time of his call, the ferry was actually sailing across the English Channel packed full of people travelling to the Channel Islands.
Mr Nezami is believed to have tried to call back to reveal his 'joke' call but was unable to do so for half an hour as staff were engaged on all the available phone lines alerting authorities. Remarkably, the Daily Mail understands that Mr Nezami, who has worked as a detective, has not faced criminal or disciplinary proceedings and was simply placed on uniform patrol at another station. The maximum penalty for making a hoax bomb threat is a prison sentence of seven years.
It is a major embarrassment for Dorset Police which is currently in a major security operation patrolling the upcoming Olympic sailing events in nearby Weymouth. All officers have had leave cancelled and specialist firearms teams from forces across the country have been drafted in to patrol the stretch of water near where the bomb hoax was said to be. Senior officers in the force are frustrated that the matter has not been taken further and believe a criminal investigation should be launched. One said: 'It's an absolute disgrace that something like this can happen from one of our own officers and it's swept under the carpet. 'A lot of senior brass don't want anything to happen to embarrass the force so close to the Olympics. 'One officer even joked that he was "testing out the systems" and that has been given as the official line if anyone questions the incident. 'It would have been a totally different story if this was a member of the public doing this just weeks away from the biggest security operation in Dorset's history.'
Patrick Mercer, chairman of the Terrorism sub-committee, said: 'If these allegations prove to be true then it seems to me very odd that this officer has not been prosecuted. 'I feel that the Home Secretary should step in and look at this.' Mr Nezami refused to deny the allegations when asked three times. He said: 'I'm not willing to speak to you on this or any other matter.'
Both the Independent Police Complaints Commission and Dorset Police Authority were unaware of the incident when contacted. A Dorset Police spokesman said: 'We're going to say no comment to anything to do with this enquiry.' Chief Inspector Steve White declined to give details on whether there was a criminal investigation into the bomb hoax or if disciplinary proceedings had taken place.
He said: 'Dorset Police does not comment on internal staff matters.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail...l#ixzz21dfS6MBi
Police officer causes terrorism alert with hoax bomb message
#1
Posted 25 July 2012 - 01:03 PM
#4
Posted 25 July 2012 - 01:11 PM
#5
Posted 25 July 2012 - 02:16 PM
If I have missed this in the reporting I will stand corrected
Edited by alexINcant, 25 July 2012 - 02:16 PM.
#6
Posted 25 July 2012 - 02:43 PM
Sounds pretty bad but where have they gotten "joke" from? Is this the Daily Fail jumping to conclusions. I realise if he did indeed do it as a hoax then that would most likely be his most likely defence but as no one is willing to comment on the matter I can see their being many other genuine possibilities for this which would make it a non story instead of Police Hate as usual.
If I have missed this in the reporting I will stand corrected
What other genuine possibilities could there be for ringing up saying there's a bomb on a ferry?
Edited by Police Constable 1, 25 July 2012 - 02:46 PM.
#7
Posted 25 July 2012 - 02:49 PM
Nah, it's exactly the type of behaviour I'd expect from a JackI would expect that sort of behaviour from a child - not a 48 year old experienced detective.
CID (Colouring In Department)
#8
Posted 25 July 2012 - 02:50 PM
What other genuine possibilities could there be for ringing up saying there's a bomb on a ferry?
That is a was sanctioned? IE a test and it would make sense that most people didn't know about it however if that's the case why that wouldn't have been stated to clear up any bad press..... I'm not saying either way just being cynical its just as likely for the Daily Hate to make this stuff up their must be a good reason for this being brushed under the carpet as letting an officer get away with this this would be more embarrassing in the public's eyes than them taking appropriate action.
Wasn't a MOP recently done for some 'joke' comments on twitter in the bomb threat nature?
#9
Posted 25 July 2012 - 03:14 PM
That is a was sanctioned?
I doubt that. Senior officers would have been aware had it been sanctioned. Also if it was sanctioned there wouldn't be 'sources' calling for the officers head on the block, and he wouldn't have been moved back onto uniformed policing.
#10
Posted 25 July 2012 - 03:31 PM
I doubt that. Senior officers would have been aware had it been sanctioned. Also if it was sanctioned there wouldn't be 'sources' calling for the officers head on the block, and he wouldn't have been moved back onto uniformed policing.
True all good points well made
#11
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Trooper
Posted 29 July 2012 - 02:58 PM
Also speaks to a severe lack of supervisory control, which ls a principal line of enquiry by PSD. Not enough seniors in Dorset Police to avoid most getting splashed by the brown stuff hitting the air con. Anyone fancy running a Force?
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