Posted on 02/03/2008 9:56:30 PM PST by blam
Inquiry launched into 'bugging' of Muslim MP
By Robert Winnett, Deputy Political Editor
Last Updated: 1:52am GMT 04/02/2008
Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, has launched a formal inquiry into claims a senior Labour Muslim MP had been bugged during private meetings with a constituent.
David Davis' bugging warning letter in full Leader: Reasoning to listen with Sadiq Khan MP Scotland Yard is alleged to have eavesdropped on meetings between Sadiq Khan, a Government whip, and a terrorist suspect currently being held in prison. The police and security services have been barred from bugging MPs for more than 40 years.
Watch: Sadiq Khan interview
Gordon Brown has been accused of ignoring warnings that Mr Khan was being bugged after it emerged that shadow home secretary David Davis had written to the Prime Minister in December warning him of the situation.
Mr Brown on Sunday claimed he was unaware of the letter and Downing Street said it had not been received but Mr Davis has published the letter in full.
It is claimed that conversations between Mr Khan and Babar Ahmad, who is facing deportation to the United States amid accusations he ran a website raising funds for Taliban and Chechen terrorists, were covertly recorded during prison visits made by the MP.
The table used for the meeting is reported to have contained hidden microphones and questions are now being raised as to whether the bugging operation was authorised by the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith or Sir Ian Blair, the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.
Mr Khan is a childhood friend of Mr Ahmad and has campaigned against his extradition.
The disclosure is highly embarrassing for the Government as Mr Khan is a prominent Muslim figure charged with reaching out to the community who was previously a civil-rights lawyer. The MP is also the former chairman of human-rights group Liberty and a legal adviser to the Muslim Council of Britain.
Since 1966, the “Wilson Doctrine” has stipulated that the telephones of Members of Parliament would not be tapped and this policy has been recently been confirmed by the Government.
Mr Khan appeared on television on Sunday to express his concern saying: "I’m obviously keen ..to find out whether the allegations are true because the implications clearly are quite serious."
Mr Straw also expressed surprise and announced an immediate inquiry. Douglas Alexander, the International Development Secretary, said: “I think there will be deep concern on all sides of the House of Commons if these allegations prove to be founded.”
Mr Davis had wrote his private letter to the Prime Minister on December 11th which said: “Your immediate predecessor and other ministers have, since 1997 consistently confirmed that [the Wilson doctrine] remains in place.
“I have reason to believe that the policy has been breached in relation to communications between a constituent, arrested and detained as a terrorist suspect since 2003, and his Member of Parliament. I would be grateful if you review this serious matter and inform me of the outcome.”
Mr Davis said that he had not received a reply to the letter, and a spokesman for Mr Brown insisted he was unaware of it. Downing Street said they could not find any evidence it had been received.
The shadow home secretary said: “I thought the only proper thing to do was to notify the Prime Minister in confidence, which is what I did.
"I have to say I’m rather surprised that nothing has happened in the interim and that Justice Secretary Jack Straw is claiming that this is some sort of surprise."
Scotland Yard have declined to comment on the allegations.
Good
Look at the anger on tha little $h!ts face.
Bugging the POS is nothing — they need to waterboard that jihad lover until he spills his guts on all he knows about “childhood friends” who just happen to be part of the global jihad terrorist movement.
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