Commenting ahead of the publication of a report into the killing of Fusilier Lee Rigby, which reportedly set to criticise MI5 over its monitoring of one of the killers, Dr Christopher Moran, author of Classified: Secrecy and the State in Modern Britain,  Intelligence Studies in Britain and the US: Historiography Since 1945 and Associate Professor in the Dept. Politics and International Studies said:

"The ISC report will generate a great deal of publicity for MI5, but it is unlikely to stick the knife in. The fact that MI5 was aware of Adebolajo and Adebowale prior to the attack, possibly even trying to recruit them, is not enough to condemn the service for failing to prevent his death. Post-Snowden, the report is likely to be used by the secret and security services to remind the public about the need for a robust and far-reaching intelligence capability."

To speak with Dr Moran please contact:

Tom Frew - International Press Officer, University of Warwick;

a dot t dot frew at warwick dot ac dot uk

+44 (0) 2476575910

+44 (0) 7785433155