The inquest into the deaths of those who died in the London bombings of 7th July 2005 will now inquire into the failure of the police and MI5 to prevent the attacks.

The ruling by Lady Justice Hallett on the scope of the inquest into the 7 July 2005 London suicide bombings is the latest in a series of recent blows inflicted on MI5. It also drives home the point that it is the courts, and not parliament, that are calling the security and intelligence to account.

Her ruling may not go as far as the relatives of the victims and the wounded would have wanted. But the appeal court judge makes clear she was not intimidated by suggestions from MI5 lawyers that a fresh investigation into what the security service and police knew about the bombers before the attack would have dire consequences for Britain's national security and could only help al-Qaida and its supporters.

See:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/may/21/7-july-bombings-inquest-judge.

Rachel North comments.