Spy chiefs warn PM: Internet giants including Google and Facebook are shielding terrorists and paedophiles

Cameron told internet giants have withdrawn cooperation with MI5

Some are obstructing requests for help tracking terrorists and criminals

Follows Edward Snowden's claims firms are used to snoop on Brits



MI5's Andrew Parker briefed the PM about a reluctance among internet firms to cooperate with tracking terrorists

David Cameron has been warned by the country’s top spy chiefs that internet companies including Facebook and Google are undermining national security.

The Prime Minister was told internet giants have ‘withdrawn’ their cooperation and are obstructing MI5 requests for help tracking terrorists and major criminals, including paedophiles.

It follows fugitive Edward Snowden’s claims that the firms are used to snoop on British citizens, which is disputed by spy chiefs.

Before the US whistleblower’s disclosures, they willingly responded to lawful requests for details of phone calls, emails, text messages and other private information.

Now the companies are said to be concerned about being seen to acquiesce too easily.

One of the fears is that intelligence officers will lose the ability to monitor the safety threat posed by British jihadists travelling to Syria, for example Londoner Mohammed El Araj, 23, who is said to have died while fighting for militants with links to Al Qaeda.

A security source told The Mail on Sunday: ‘One of the impacts of the Snowden disclosures is that internet companies have withdrawn their willing co-operation and that has affected some operations.’

The source added that a key bone of contention was the internet service providers’ unwillingness to hand over encryption keys that unlock data being sought by law enforcement agencies.

The source added: ‘It is not simply about terrorism; it’s about serious crime, including paedophiles and gangland crime bosses.’

Now Mr Cameron has been briefed by Sir Iain Lobban, head of the Government’s intelligence gathering operation GCHQ, and Andrew Parker, director general of MI5.

According to a report, more than 500,000 Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) requests for data were made to communication service companies last year.

Facebook rejects a third of requests made by UK law enforcement authorities and other agencies, while Yahoo turns down a quarter.

And despite pressure from Home Secretary Theresa May, Yahoo is moving its entire operation to Dublin, beyond the scrutiny of British surveillance laws. If others follow, it is feared the country will be left even more dangerously exposed.

Jihadists in Syria including Mohammed El Araj from west London

Ministers have already been told that the thousands of top-secret files stolen by Snowden and published in the Guardian, have caused massive damage to Britain’s intelligence capability.

The source said that it is vital that internet companies help police and security services to stay one step ahead of their targets in a rapidly changing digital world.

Under existing arrangements, police and intelligence agencies use RIPA to request crucial data and wiretaps.

But requests are being rejected or sent back for further consideration, even in the case of Home Secretary-approved warrants.

Access to data has proved essential in thwarting terrorist atrocities and organised crime.

In 2007 police and MI5 foiled an Al Qaeda plot to kidnap, torture and behead a British Muslim soldier. Telephone taps and internet surveillance played a crucial role in jailing five men.



And in 2012 paedophile John Maber, 47, who shared online footage of his rape of a child, was jailed after police intercepted an internet offer he made to abuse a child over a webcam.



MP Rob Wilson said: ‘It’s right that internet companies take great care in how they handle their users’ personal information and who has access to it

John Maber, 47, who shared online footage of his rape on a child, was jailed after police intercepted an internet offer he made over a webcam

‘But people will clearly expect them to co-operate with the police and others when it comes to tackling matters like serious crime or the dreadful scourge of online paedophilia.

‘And they will be rightly concerned if the police and intelligence agencies are facing unnecessary difficulties and delays.’

In its most recent government requests report Facebook stated: ‘We respond to valid requests relating to criminal cases. Each and every request we receive is checked for legal sufficiency and we reject or require greater specificity on requests that are overly broad or vague.’

Yahoo said: ‘We carefully review Government Data Requests for legal sufficiency and interpret them narrowly in an effort to produce the least amount of data necessary to comply with the request.’

Google declined to comment directly on the claims but it is understood to follow a policy of fully scrutinising every incoming request.

The Internet Service Providers Association said its members were ‘understandably cautious’ about handing over data but that none of the companies wanted to break the law.