16 August 2016, Central government
The complainant requested information relating to individuals who had returned to the UK after fighting for terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria. The Home Office refused to confirm or deny whether it held information within the scope of this request and cited the exemptions provided by sections 23(5) (information relating to, or supplied by, security bodies) and 24(2) (national security) of the FOIA. The Commissioner’s decision is that sections 23(5) and 24(2) were cited correctly so the Home Office was not obliged to confirm or deny whether the requested information was held.
FOI 23: Not upheld FOI 24: Not upheld