How hard will security correspondents push MI5 on the issues highlighted by the Fertiliser trial? The Sun puts the case for the prosecution. The Telegraph‘s Home Affairs editor, Philip Johnston (whose personal advocacy on behalf of the security services is a matter of record) has the case for the defence.

So will this be a useful test of whether or not the security journalists’ role really allows them to call the security services to account? Or will it simply be another opportunity to repeat in public what’s told to them in private?

To me at least, the scrutiny given to Britain’s intelligence services seems woefully inadequate. MI5’s website doesn’t even carry press statements. [Update! A little later all this appeared.] They are dealt with by the Home Office…

Reporters need some public benchmark on which to report (a select committee with investigatory powers perhaps?), not just their personal belief that sources wouldn’t lie to them. Still, sit back and see if things are different this time around.