Britain’s European connection in counter-terrorism intelligence cooperation: everyday practices of police liaison officers

This article discusses counter-terrorism intelligence cooperation between Britain and its mainland partners. In contrast to disciplinary assumptions whereby Britain is loosely connected to Europe, it argues that British intelligence has a European connection. This is supported by extensive ethnographic fieldwork with British counter-terrorism police liaison officers deployed in France and a reading of intelligence cooperation from a sociological perspective. In mobilising a Bourdieusian approach that focuses on the study of social actors and their practices, the article shows how British intelligence is embedded in European intelligence cooperation as well as the increasing place of law enforcement in counter-terrorism intelligence.