LONDON, July 6 (UPI) -- Fighting Russia's alleged spying activities have so depleted British intelligence resources that some terrorist threats are being neglected, sources say.
Citing an unnamed senior British security official, The Sunday Telegraph reported Russia has ignored Britain's pleas to end its allegedly intensive covert activities in England, which are distracting the MI5 intelligence service from concentrating on al-Qaida and other Islamic militants.
"MI5's resources have been stretched to the limit for the past few years. There have been times when there was nothing left in the locker, when all of our assets were being used on one operation," the source told the Telegraph.
The British government reportedly has spoken to Russian officials asking them to stop but have been met with the response, "everyone spies on everyone else." British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is to meet Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for the first time Monday, but the British newspaper said it was unknown if he would raise the issue.
