Former chief of MI5, Stella Rimington has claimed that the response to the September 11 2001 attacks was a "huge overreaction" and described the events as just "another terrorist incident".
She said the attacks by al-Qaeda were "qualitatively different from any others" and criticised Home Secretary Jacqui Smith for making national security a partisan issue.
In a wide-ranging interview, Rimington, who was the first-ever female, publicly named head of MI5 and retired 12 years ago, also said the war on terror in Iraq had influenced young British men to turn to terrorism.
'I suppose I'd lived with terrorist events for a good part of my working life and this was as far as I was concerned another one.
'It was huge, and horrible, and seemed worse because we all watched it unfold on television, So yes, 9/11 was bigger, but not qualitatively different', she told the Guardian newspaper.
Attacking the home secretary, Dame Rimington said: 'National security has become much more of a political issue than it ever was in my day.
'Parties are tending to use it as a way of trying to get at the other side. You know, "We're more tough on terrorism than you are." I think that's a bad move, quite frankly.'
Speaking her mind on the Iraq war, she said: 'Look at what those people who've been arrested or have left suicide videos say about their motivation.
'Most of them, as far as I'm aware, say that the war in Iraq played a significant part in persuading them that this is the right course of action to take.
'I think to ignore the effect of the war in Iraq is misleading.'
Another big issue concerns the government's 42-day terror proposals which were ditched this week.
Rimington voiced her disapproval last month, saying that the provision to hold suspects for six weeks without charge was "excessive".
The 73-year-old former agent also points out that her viewpoint is one widely held within the walls of the intelligence service.
'People are very conscious of the possibility of intrusions into people's civil liberties - and therefore the importance of restricting that to the extent of what's strictly necessary. continues here
She said the attacks by al-Qaeda were "qualitatively different from any others" and criticised Home Secretary Jacqui Smith for making national security a partisan issue.
In a wide-ranging interview, Rimington, who was the first-ever female, publicly named head of MI5 and retired 12 years ago, also said the war on terror in Iraq had influenced young British men to turn to terrorism.
'I suppose I'd lived with terrorist events for a good part of my working life and this was as far as I was concerned another one.
'It was huge, and horrible, and seemed worse because we all watched it unfold on television, So yes, 9/11 was bigger, but not qualitatively different', she told the Guardian newspaper.
Attacking the home secretary, Dame Rimington said: 'National security has become much more of a political issue than it ever was in my day.
'Parties are tending to use it as a way of trying to get at the other side. You know, "We're more tough on terrorism than you are." I think that's a bad move, quite frankly.'
Speaking her mind on the Iraq war, she said: 'Look at what those people who've been arrested or have left suicide videos say about their motivation.
'Most of them, as far as I'm aware, say that the war in Iraq played a significant part in persuading them that this is the right course of action to take.
'I think to ignore the effect of the war in Iraq is misleading.'
Another big issue concerns the government's 42-day terror proposals which were ditched this week.
Rimington voiced her disapproval last month, saying that the provision to hold suspects for six weeks without charge was "excessive".
The 73-year-old former agent also points out that her viewpoint is one widely held within the walls of the intelligence service.
'People are very conscious of the possibility of intrusions into people's civil liberties - and therefore the importance of restricting that to the extent of what's strictly necessary. continues here
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