Secrecy not taboo, MI6 chief says

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LONDON, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Sharing intelligence across a broad international spectrum isn't taboo, the head of Britain's foreign intelligence service said Thursday in London.

John Sawers, the head of MI6, spoke to Thursday to the Society of Editors in public for the first time since taking over the security service last year.

Sawers told the audience that his office receives daily reports of terrorists "bent" on bringing harm to the citizens of Britain.

He said that if his agency was to be successful at countering terrorist threats, it was vital that information obtained by intelligence officers is protected.

On the other hand, he said, security and intelligence duties needed to operate effectively in a real-world environment. He said this may require collaboration with intelligence services in other countries that may not always be "friendly democracies."

If intelligence is hoarded out of fear that a suspected terrorist may be tortured or otherwise mistreated, he said, "innocent lives may be lost that we could have saved."

He placed special emphasis on sharing intelligence with his counterparts in the United States but said autonomy over intelligence information must be secured.

"Secrecy is not a dirty word. Secrecy is not there as a coverup. Secrecy pays a crucial part in keeping Britain safe and secure," he said in his speech.