"A report in the Sunday Times (ST) claimed West Midlands Police (WMP) had overstated the threat posed by Maccabi Tel Aviv fans ahead of the match on 6 November, citing violence around a match in the Netherlands last year. In response, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said that unless WMP had a good explanation, Chief Constable Craig Guildford should resign. Home Office minister Sarah Jones said she had written to him asking for clarity."
"The ST report on Sunday said an intelligence report relied on by the force had claimed some Maccabi-Tel Aviv fans were "highly organised, skilled fighters with a serious desire and will to fight with police and opposing groups". It had also suggested that 500 to 600 of them had targeted Muslim communities in Amsterdam, and fans had been thrown in a river, claims which the newspaper said had been denied by Dutch police."
"Putting an urgent question in the Commons, Conservative MP Nick Timothy demanded the publication of all intelligence material relating to the ban, and evidence considered by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group (SAG). The panel, bringing together council and police experts, was responsible for imposing restrictions on away fans for the game on 6 November. Calling for the government "to hold the West Midlands Police to account", Philp added: "The Maccabi fans were not skilled and organised fighters - it was just made up.""
MPs demanded a fuller account after claims that police overstated intelligence prompting a ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans for the 6 November match. The intelligence allegedly described some fans as "highly organised, skilled fighters" and claimed hundreds had targeted Muslim communities in Amsterdam, with further reports of fans being thrown into a river. Dutch police reportedly denied those incidents. Conservative MPs called for publication of all related intelligence and evidence considered by Birmingham's Safety Advisory Group, while the Home Office asked inspectors to investigate how safety assessments were carried out. West Midlands Police defended its plan as proportionate.
Read at www.bbc.com
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