Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch
The Anti-Terrorist Branch (or SO13 by its designation) was a Specialist Operations branch of London's Metropolitan Police Service, formed to respond to terrorist activities within the capital and the surrounding areas.
The Anti-Terrorist Branch (at that time called the Bomb Squad) originally dealt with bombings perpetrated by anarchist groups. During the 1970s it assisted in the campaign against the IRA, alongside Special Branch and the Security Service (MI5). It was originally set up to investigate the Angry Brigade, and commanded by Commander Bond.[1]
In 2005, the Branch had 345 officers attached to it, with funding for another 500 being sought. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ian Blair, QPM announced that Specialist Operations units were to be re-aligned.
In 2005 the Anti-Terrorist Branch and the Special Branch were merged, creating a new unit the Counter Terrorism Command, or SO15.