McCANN AND OTHERS v. THE UNITED KINGDOM JUDGMENT 12 41. There appears to have been a certain time-lag between information on the ground either being received in the operations room or being passed on. Soldiers E and F may have been more aware than the Commissioner of events since they were monitoring closely the information coming in over the nets, which apparently was not audible to the Commissioner where he sat at a table away from the control stations. 42. The suspect was followed for approximately an hour by Witness H who recalled that the suspect was using anti-surveillance techniques such as employing devious routes through the side streets. Witness N was also following him, for an estimated 45 minutes, and considered that he was alert and taking precautions, for example stopping round the corner at the end of alleyways to see who followed. 5. Sighting of Mr McCann and Ms Farrell 43. Witness M who was leading the surveillance at the border stated that two suspects passed the frontier at about 14.30 hours though apparently they were initially not clearly identified. They were on foot and reportedly taking counter-surveillance measures (Farrell looking back frequently). Their progress into Gibraltar was followed. 44. At 14.30 hours, Soldiers E and F recalled a message being received that there was a possible sighting of McCann and Farrell entering on foot. The Commissioner was immediately informed. 6. Sighting of three suspects in the assembly area 45. At about 14.50 hours, it was reported to the operations room that the suspects McCann and Farrell had met with a second man identified as the suspect Savage and that the three were looking at a white Renault car in the car-park in the assembly area. Witness H stated that the three suspects spent some considerable time staring across to where a car had been parked, as if, in his assessment, they were studying it to make sure it was absolutely right for the effect of the bomb. DC Viagas also witnessed the three suspects meeting in the area of the car-park, stating that all three turned and stared towards where the car was parked. He gave the time as about 14.55 hours. He stated that the Security Services made identification of all three at this moment. At this moment, the possibility of effecting an arrest was considered. There were different recollections. Mr Colombo stated that he was asked whether he would hand over control to the military for the arrest but that he asked whether the suspects had been positively identified; he was told that there was 80% identification. Almost immediately the three suspects moved away from the car through the Southport Gate. He recalled that the movement of the three suspects towards the south gave rise to some discussion as to whether this indicated that the three suspects were on