A police boat patrols the river Thames near the MI6 headquarters in London. The head of M16 is to speak publicly about its work. Photograph: Lennart Preiss/AP

The chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, will step out of the shadows today to make an unprecedented public intervention.

Sir John Sawers is the first serving MI6 chief – known in Whitehall simply as C – to deliver a public speech in the organisation's 100-year history.

His address, to a meeting of the Society of Editors, follows a first public speech by Iain Lobban, director of the electronic eavesdropping agency GCHQ, who spoke about the threat of cyber warfare.

Jonathan Evans, the director general of the Security Service, has also publicly spoken in recent weeks about the continuing terrorist threat from al-Qaida related groups and dissident Irish republicans.

Unlike many of his predecessors, Sawers came to the job with a significant public profile, having held a number of prominent diplomatic posts, including ambassador to the United Nations.

Since taking up his post a year ago, he has appeared twice in public to give evidence to the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war relating to earlier postings as foreign policy adviser to Tony Blair and UK envoy to Baghdad.

His decision to speak publicly about the work of MI6 was welcomed by Bob Satchwell, executive director of the Society of Editors.

"Wherever possible the public should be told what is being done in their name," he said. "The default switch should be set to release information unless there is an extremely good reason for withholding it.".

"We are glad to provide a platform that will encourage greater openness which will help to build confidence and respect for our intelligence services in their vital work in protecting national security."
( from guardian.co.uk, Thursday 28 October 2010 )