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Jack Straw 'knew about Muslim MP bugging scandal two months ago'
Last updated at 23:52pm on 06.02.08
Under fire: Justice Secretary Jack Straw
Justice Secretary Jack Straw knew about the MP bugging scandal in December, it was claimed today.
In a fresh revelation, Sky News reported that the minister had had a meeting about the operation weeks before it exploded into the public domain.
The allegations came to light after it emerged Tooting MP Sadiq Khan had been bugged as he visited inmate Babar Ahmad at Woodhill prison in 2005 and 2006.
There has been much speculation about when senior officials knew about the clandestine procedure, which involved placing listening devices in six desks.
As yet, there has been no independent corrobation that Mr Straw had been aware of the scandal before Christmas.
But the reports throw doubt on his earlier attempts to clear ministers of any blame by saying they had not personally authorised the operations.
Mr Straw had claimed the first he knew about bugging at the prison was this weekend.
Earlier today, it emerged the police officer who says he bugged Tooting MP Sadiq Khan today claimed he feared for his life.
In an extraordinary twist to the scandal, former sergeant Mark Kearney said he became afraid after the secret bugging operation was made public.
"I believe it puts my life and safety at risk," he claimed.
Mr Kearney alleged that he was ordered to bug Mr Khan and came under "significant pressure” from the Metropolitan Police to go ahead despite his ethical objections.
Speaking to the BBC after his role was revealed he said: "I'd like to say that I'm shocked and disgusted by this leak to the media."
Mr Kearney's allegations have raised questions over whether the Yard deliberately set out to eavesdrop on Mr Khan, a former human rights lawyer who is now a rising Muslim Labour MP.
Mark Kearney: Arrested over claims he leaked stories to the press
Scandal erupted when it was revealed that jail conversations between Sadiq Khan and prisoner Babar Ahmad were recorded in 2005 and 2006.
But the Daily Mail has established that Scotland Yard's most senior officers first authorised the bugging of the pair as long ago as 2004.
Justice Secretary Jack Straw yesterday ordered a two-week investigation into the scandal by Sir Christopher Rose, the chief surveillance commissioner.
But both he and Home Secretary Jacqui Smith are facing awkward questions after it emerged that their departments had been made aware in December 2007 that there were "issues" surrounding Mr Khan's visits to Woodhill Prison in Milton Keynes to see his schoolfriend and constituent.
Mr Straw - in an attempt to clear Labour ministers of involvement - placed all responsibility for the "intrusive surveillance" operations at the door of the Metropolitan Police, making it clear the decision was authorised by at least an assistant commissioner.
Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said it was "beyond belief" that ministers had not been informed of the possible breach of the Wilson Doctrine - which protects MPs from bugging - back in December.
But Mr Straw said the Wilson Doctrine drawn up more than 40 years ago prohibits only the tapping of politicians' phones - and does not include the use of bugs to listen in on other conversations.
The Daily Mail has established that a decision to bug Ahmad was taken before Mr Khan became an MP, by former Met Assistant Commissioner Sir David Veness in 2004.
Tough questions: Sir Ian Blair, Scotland Yard chief, could face a probing inquiry
Mr Veness, head of Specialist Operations at the Met until he retired in the spring of 2005, is thought to have informed the then head of Scotland Yard, Sir John Stevens, of the operation.
Mr Khan, a prominent human rights lawyer, made a series of visits to Ahmad in jail in both 2004 and early 2005 - the year he was elected to Parliament.
Senior security sources insist they did nothing wrong by listening into conversations between Mr Khan and Ahmad - who is facing extradition to the U.S. on allegations that he ran websites supporting Taliban and Chechen terrorists.
A security source said: "With hindsight, perhaps the operation should have been reviewed when Mr Khan became an MP.
"The decision to carry on bugging these conversations was taken at a much lower level.
"It was not flagged up to the top brass that Mr Khan's status had changed.
The security sources insisted that Mr Khan was "not the target" of the bugging operation, which was being directed against Ahmad and his alleged links to extremism.
Mark Kearney, the officer ordered to carry out the two bugging episodes at the centre of the inquiry - which took place after Mr Khan was elected MP for Tooting in May 2005 - was also working under direct instruction from the Met's high command.
Target: Sadiq Khan's jail conversations were taped
He is understood to have warned superiors that bugging an MP was unethical, but went ahead with the operation when his concerns were brushed aside. At this stage, Mr Stevens had been replaced as Met Commissioner by Sir Ian Blair.
As a result, two visits by Mr Khan to Woodhill Prison, on Saturday mornings in May 2005 and June 2006, were secretly taped in their entirety.
It is still unclear exactly when Sir Ian Blair became aware of the bugging operation and the looming row around whether it should have been authorised.
David Davis said there were serious questions to answer.
He claims to have alerted Gordon Brown of a problem by letter in December. Downing Street insists the letter never arrived.
Mr Davis said: "After the lame excuse from number 10, it is now becoming apparent that the Government did know about this very serious issue at the time I wrote my letter. It is beyond belief that the department would not flag up to a minister that the Wilson Doctrine had been broken within the department.
The police officer who carried out the two bugging operations in 2005 and 2006 has since left the service, and is facing unrelated disciplinary action. He is accused of leaking sensitive details to the press.
He had served in the police force for 30 years and ended his job in the highly sensitive job of covertly recording the conversations of inmates across all seven prisons in the Thames Valley area.
But the 59-year-old father of three fell victim to a six-week bugging operation by his own force.
He was arrested over claims that he leaked stories to the press and now faces trial on eight counts of wilful misconduct in a public office.
He retired on a full pension shortly after his arrest.
A source close to Mr Kearney said last night he believed he would be keen to assist the bugging inquiry.
The source said: "Mark insists he has done nothing wrong."
Reader views (35)
Let's have all MPs bugged! They have brought it on themselves.
It has got to the stage where even the local council can bug innocent citizens phones, so MPs should be treated in exactly the same way, after all it was them who created this Big Brother state in the first place.
- Simon, London
However much the press and others try to make this out as an infringement of civil liberties the fact remains that 90% of this country are only too pleased that the security services are keeping tabs on these blighters.
- Squiz, Islington
Robw: And how many Muslims and Iraqi's have died at the hands of Muslim extremists? A lot more than the number by the British Army I would argue given the almost daily news of another suicide bombing or explosion in a market full of local people going about their everyday business. Let's not forget about these atrocities and the perpetrators of them.
- Jlo, London
"Those with nothing to hide have nothing to fear!"
What an absurdly complacent comment. What did Lotfi Raisi (banged up in Belmarsh for five months before the US admitted that they didn't actually have any evidence against him) have to hide?
- Michael, London
Perhaps there was a very very good reason to put this man under surveillance. Stop knocking the police for doing their job with regard to the security of this country. The real problem lies with a Government who are too afraid to do anything about it.
- Minime, South East England
Should a doctor and patient relationship also be subject to scrunity? What about a lawyer and their client?
The assumption is that if the MP is a Muslim then he is not one of 'us' but rather one of 'them', there are countless Muslims in this country who contribute to this way of life with its respect for law and order, representative democracy, tolerance, institutions. But we don't really hear about them as they are not deemed newsworthy. A bit like a news story yesterday about Muslims having many wives. I don't know any Muslims who are in favour of this idea. Terrorism doesn't always mean people blowing themselves up it also can mean the illegal bombing of a country, looking for weapons of mass destruction and not finding any, building settlements on occupied land, denying people the right to participate in democratic elections, blockading a country because you don't agree with their system of government. As citizens we have the right to hold the Government accountable for their actions as we voted them in.
- Mr Y, Deptford
The usual argument is trotted out by the mindless. "Those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear".
Yes indeed, so these morons are perfectly happy for state surveillance of everything and everyone. Privacy and confidentiality mean nothing to them at all. So let's just ask these idiots whether they'd be perfectly happy for state monitoring of the insides of their homes, or their doctor's surgery, or their accountants' offices, or their children's classrooms, or their solicitors' offices, or their phone calls and mail.
You bet they would! They've got nothing to hide, have they?
Come to think of it we're almost there right now. Just ask yourself who are these watchers, the snoopers, with their prurient interest in our lives. Do you really trust them? How many thousands of people have access to your apparently private details? And what are they going to do with that information - dump it on a roundabout somewhere?
And this is a Government which has hyped up personal security fears whilst plotting to bring in ID cards and simultaneously casually 'losing' information all over the place? If the state or anyone else can't take proper care of my personal details then I'm simply not going to give them the chance to lose them. These cowboys are dangerous.
- Chuck Unsworth, London
Glad to see the security forces are doing their job.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
You're right Alan, but how many Muslims and Iraqi's have died at the hands of the British in our invasion of Iraq? A hell of a lot more than 50.
- Robw, London
If this prime minister was a dog, we'd have put it out of its misery months ago - yet more uncomfortable questions for another (weekly) scandal - go for it Mr Bean!
- David, Southampton
Jane, how do you know he had possible terrorist links becuase the government/police says so? That's not proof. And you are tarring all Muslims with the same brush...some are trying to win our hearts and minds, you are the very kind of person that endangers this country.
- Daveb, London
National security comes before Sadiq Khan's outdated parliamentary rights, what does he expect after visiting a suspected terrorist three times?
- James Sibley, London, England
These whiny liberals deserve everything they get.
- Daveb, London
As Guido Fawkes points out this Khan chap is a full supporter of ID cards, phone tapping, DNA swabbing etc. To use his own argument, if he has nothing to hide why make such a fuss?
- Givenuphope, London
In the recent past we have experience the murder of more than 50 Londoners at the hand of British born Muslim extremists: countless other terrorist plans have been foiled by the efforts of our police and intelligence service. Only yesterday, five more Muslims were sentenced for terrorist activity - is it any wonder that the police and intelligence service would take an interest in an MP who was visiting Babar Ahmed - frankly, I don't think so, and if their actions are in the best interest of the nation's safety - then just who has the right to challenge that?
- Alan Eaves, Buckhurst Hill, Essex
Probably right to do so but as usual Nu Labor has messed it up. They give the visa to anyone from other countries. In the meantime we Brits have to stand in line and be grilled for 30 minutes every time I pass through an airport. Our passports are becoming the poor cousin of the world standing for lack of security!
- Peteo, London
Maybe MPs are getting a little flustered because they may think they are being bugged to see where their expenses are going.
No wonder they tried to exclude themselves from the Freedom of Information Act.
- Ben, London
Just wanted to reply to Jane's comments, about "the hand that has fed him", I am not Asian but as a Brit with an interest in our country's colonial past the remark is historically inaccurate, if anyone has ever visited India they only have to look at the splendour of the Mogul Palaces of India to realise why we wanted India so bad, it was not to feed them!
As for Jane's comment about this MP's alligiances I have Muslim friends and I don't think the actions of a few crazy Muslims anymore then the actions of a few crazy Catholics should make us condemn them, for a normal Muslim I do not think there is any contradiction between Islam and being British.
- W Joseph, London, England
Irrespective of whether he was a muslim, I don't see why MPs should be above suspicion whilst Joe Public can be surveyed. The intelligence forces have a job to do and as it isn't pretty they do it in secret - it's beyond the niceties of how we would like life to be, in order to keep life as it is. I hope they are bugging quite a few other MPs too!
- Roz, Chamonix, France
Those with nothing to hide have nothing to fear!
- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark
I think it's above the religion and personalities. Here a law is broken and whoever did that should be accounted for. Can we imagine if we are in a position where Sadiq Khan is and what if we are bugged?
He is of course an elected member of parliament and should be given all due respect and he deserves the same rights as any other MP.
- Erol, London
"I think the police were right to bug him if he was visiting someone with possible terrorist links. When the chips are down, just where does a Muslim's alliegance lie? With his religion or with the British (also the hand that has fed him?). Are we too anxious to 'win Muslim hearts and minds' that we would put our own in jeopardy. What are they doing to win our hearts and minds? Nothing at all!
- Jane, London"
Jane...what a rant, Britain has been involved and ruled Muslims in India and other parts of the world from around 1720, therefore why are you so ignorant?
- Jonny Wishbone, Peckham, UK
We have lost some of our freedoms because of the terrorist legislation MPs have been busy passing since 9/11.
Which part of this being their country too didn't they understand?
- Henry Adams, Manchester , UK
Jane, Perhaps when it became illegal (in the 60s) is when it became wrong to listen into private conversations between an MP and his constituent.
Mr. Khan was voted by the people of his constituency to represent them as a Member of Parliament yet he, like every other Muslim is treated with suspicion and doubt. This country has no-one to blame but itself for alienating British Muslims if it continues to condone such acts.
- Lina, Glasgow
Why did a 'scandal' erupt? If the average British resident can be bugged why shouldn't MPs be too. Are they above the law? Maybe they should change the rules as they seem incapable of honest dealings anyway...
And if the recordings concerned were with a suspected terrorist why shouldn't he be bugged even if he said nothing worthy of blame his client may have said something pertinent, after all he is wanted by America for allegedly running websites for terrorists.
Terrorists, particularly Extremist Islamic ones, like blowing up things, and killing people - think 9/11, 7/7 - whose human rights are more important, theirs or the people they want to kill?
Wake up.
- Phil, Birmingham, England
Yet another sick joke. We're told that 'tapping' requires ministerial approval (no sub: 'for and on behalf of Secretary of State) but no minister knows anything about it.
Forget the letter to the PM! The Information Commissioner would have fun with Downing Street with its paper-trail. It comes down to what hope is there for anyone wishing to lodge a breach in the DPA when even Downing Street can't get it right.
- Tony, London
What have we deserved to get such a bad government?
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
Another liberty lost. Not too many left. This is the path to dictatorship.
Be aware that supporting such law breakers, will backfire.
Jealous about your neighbour. Just call the police to dig some dirt.
- Laurent, London
Why do we let all these strangers in that should be the question?
- Leslie, London,
I think the police were right to bug him if he was visiting someone with possible terrorist links. When the chips are down, just where does a Muslim's alliegance lie? With his religion or with the British (also the hand that has fed him?). Are we too anxious to 'win Muslim hearts and minds' that we would put our own in jeopardy. What are they doing to win our hearts and minds? Nothing at all!
- Jane, London
If bugging this meeting breached any rules, the rules need to be changed. Babar Ahmad is clearly perceived as a threat, and the security services should be given every opportunity to acquire information from him. I'd venture to suggest that if Sadiq Khan has nothing to hide, he has nothing to fear.
The comments of Ms Chakrabarti and Mr Bari fundamentally ignore the rights of UK citizens to go about their business without being murdered by religious fanatics. (I'm puzzled as to why the Muslim Council feels it appropriate to comment at all on this matter.) Perhaps they would like to explain their positions to the families (Muslim and non-Muslim) of those murdered by terrorists on the London and Madrid transport systems.
- Mark, London
Another Nu Labor scandal to fall on...
- Georgie, Islington, London
The man was a prisoner in connection with alleged terrorist offences. Britain has been on the receiving end of Islamic terrorism with a huge personal cost to many. If suspected terrorists are involved in conversations in jail - or anywhere else - the police and secret service would be derelict in their duties if they did not 'bug' the conversations.
Did the MP report his conversation to the authorities lest some intelligence had emerged from his discussion? For goodness sake, get real. This country is under constant threat from terrorists.
- Roy G, Solihull, England
Judging by the current conduct of MP's - Blair on Iraq & peerages, the abuse of expenses for family members, 3rd party donations, etc MP's have proved that they cannot be trusted and this policy needs to be dropped if we are to ever have any transparency.
- Micheal Takinda, London
This was not an ordinary constituency visit - it was to a man that the USA have accused of terrorism. I've never heard of my local MP visiting anyone in prison, hospital or hospice. Given the profile of the man being visited, the security services should have every right to bug.
- Ab, London
