Operation Overt underscores the difference between intelligence and evidence that can stand up in court particularly when cases deal with conspiracies rather than with acts of violence actually committed.

ECONOMIST: Fighting terrorism

Those advocating new legal powers against terrorism lengthening pre-charge detention, increasing the scope for post-charge questioning or making telephone intercepts admissible in court will find little to support their case in Operation Overt.

ECONOMIST: Fighting terrorism

Your predecessor commented on the handling of Operation Overt in the aftermath of the failed terrorist attack at Heathrow, provided public updates on the investigation after the death of Alexander Litvenenko and publicly defended the police operation at Forest Gate in June 2006.

BBC: In full: Dominic Grieve's letter