Confidential calls to Britain’s anti-terrorist hotline have been recorded by hackers, police revealed Thursday, in the second security breach involving the force in the past three months. “We are aware of an issue whereby telephone conversations relating to the anti-terrorist hotline have been recorded,” Scotland Yard said. “Officers are currently looking into the matter and appropriate action will be taken.” A spokesman refused to be drawn on who might be responsible. In February, hacker group Anonymous released a recording of a conference call between the FBI and Scotland Yard discussing operations against the collective. The British force said at the time that it believed that none of its systems had been hacked, while the US law enforcement agency said it had launched a criminal investigation into the breach. Scotland Yard promotes its anti-terrorist hotline as a confidential service allowing people to report suspicious behaviour to the police. In a public awareness campaign entitled “It’s probably nothing, but…”, it says: “We know you may have concerns about speaking to the police — possibly because your friends or family may find out. “But all information passed to the police is treated in the strictest of confidence. It is thoroughly analysed and researched by experienced officers before, and if, any police action is taken.” Britain’s intelligence services currently judge the threat level to the country from international terrorism to be substantial, the third of five levels meaning an attack is a strong possibility.
