five diplomats – a third of the total staff – were part of the "political wing" of the embassy, often used as cover for spying. Diplomatic sources did not rule out the possibility that the individuals might have moved on to launch terrorist attacks against Britain, although there was no evidence to suggest they were involved in those activities at present.
The five are understood to have used their cover in the Knightsbridge embassy to intimidate opposition groups and students, making threats against their families in Libya. Key members of Libya's Interim Transitional National Council are based in London and others were visiting for the London Conference on Libya on Tuesday.
The expulsions are understood to have been under consideration for some weeks as the activities of the individuals were monitored. MI5 is thought to believe that Col Gaddafi would have to set up a terrorist infrastructure from a "standing start" but the expulsions make clear that he still has loyalists within the embassy.
The five individuals, who also include the military attache, were described by one source as the "strongest pro-Gaddafi supporters in the embassy" who were said to be "fervent" in their support for the Libyan leader in Tripoli. The source said that expelling them sent out a "strong political signal about the illegitimacy of the regime".
William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, told the House of Commons that the move underlined the government's "grave concern at the regime's
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