Z2Group History

The Z2Group was formed as a small but highly specialised intelligence research team within MI5 shortly before the end of the Second World War. The role of the department was to provide the highest quality of research and analysis of key events. Today, the group report directly and only to the Prime Minister of the day.

After half a century of delivering concise intelligence on time and with high quality analysis, the Z2Group have remained 'behind the scenes'. The solid reputation the group has gained has been relied upon by both operational leaders and Prime Ministers over the years.

During a hasty re-organisation in 2002, an administrative error led to the group being 'dropped' from the organisational chart. Meanwhile, Z2Group staff continued to turn up for work, oblivious to their disconnection from management.

After strenuous but unsuccessful efforts to re-establish the chain of command, the new in-post Senior Officer, Commander Nathan Leonard, prepared the group for closure. However, until that time staff were kept busy with spurious research projects the origin of which was never clear.

It was during a routine staff review with one of his most established researchers, Heidi Parsons that the activities of ][Bookends was first discussed. The motives for ][Bookends activities were unclear and Parsons felt she was onto something important and Leonard agreed.

As Parsons pressed ahead with her research, Leonard committed additional resources from the group to assist her, soon all Z2Group resources were focused on this one project.

This concentration of resources allowed Parsons time to manage the research effectively by checking and double checking the work that ][Bookends had produced. This effort was the basis of the report the Z2Group presented to the G8 security executives.

Leonard realised the potential of Parsons' work and secured an appointment to brief the PM. The importance of their work was recognised and Leonard too, for his management of the Z2Group. Soon the transition from obscurity to high profile research team was confirmed and from then onwards, the Z2Group became an independent team, outside MI5, reporting directly to the PM.