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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Khan welcomes 'bugging' inquiry | Khan welcomes 'bugging' inquiry |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Sadiq Khan, the Muslim Labour MP allegedly bugged as he visited a constituent in jail, has welcomed a Commons inquiry into the claims. | Sadiq Khan, the Muslim Labour MP allegedly bugged as he visited a constituent in jail, has welcomed a Commons inquiry into the claims. |
| Justice Secretary Jack Straw ordered the probe into claims anti-terror police bugged a conversation with Babar Ahmad at Woodhill Prison. | |
| The Tooting MP said he was "pleased" an inquiry had been ordered quickly. | The Tooting MP said he was "pleased" an inquiry had been ordered quickly. |
| Shadow home secretary David Davis said he wrote to Gordon Brown weeks ago to warn him a Labour MP was being bugged. | Shadow home secretary David Davis said he wrote to Gordon Brown weeks ago to warn him a Labour MP was being bugged. |
| Mr Khan said he had been visiting Mr Ahmad, who the US wants to extradite on suspicion of running websites raising funds for the Taleban, as part of his constituency work. | Mr Khan said he had been visiting Mr Ahmad, who the US wants to extradite on suspicion of running websites raising funds for the Taleban, as part of his constituency work. |
| 'Quite serious' | 'Quite serious' |
| Speaking on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Khan said: "Clearly I'm concerned, and that's why I'm pleased that the Secretary of State for Justice Jack Straw - as soon as he heard about these allegations yesterday - has ordered an inquiry. | Speaking on BBC One's Andrew Marr Show, Mr Khan said: "Clearly I'm concerned, and that's why I'm pleased that the Secretary of State for Justice Jack Straw - as soon as he heard about these allegations yesterday - has ordered an inquiry. |
| "And I'm obviously as keen as your viewers will be to find out whether the allegations are true because the implications clearly are quite serious." | "And I'm obviously as keen as your viewers will be to find out whether the allegations are true because the implications clearly are quite serious." |
| I think there will be deep concern on all sides of the House of Commons if these allegations prove to be founded Douglas AlexanderInternational development secretary In profile: Sadiq Khan | I think there will be deep concern on all sides of the House of Commons if these allegations prove to be founded Douglas AlexanderInternational development secretary In profile: Sadiq Khan |
| Mr Straw said: "It is completely unacceptable for an interview to be conducted by a MP on a constituent matter or in any other issue to be recorded." | Mr Straw said: "It is completely unacceptable for an interview to be conducted by a MP on a constituent matter or in any other issue to be recorded." |
| The Sunday Times reports that officers from Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist branch bugged visits by government whip Mr Khan to the Milton Keynes prison in 2005 and 2006. | |
| Mr Ahmad faces no charges in the UK and is awaiting a decision from the European courts to discover if he will be extradited to the US. | Mr Ahmad faces no charges in the UK and is awaiting a decision from the European courts to discover if he will be extradited to the US. |
| 'Wilson Convention' | 'Wilson Convention' |
| Mr Khan told the BBC earlier that he had only just heard about the allegations, and officials working for Mr Straw said he was informed on Saturday. | Mr Khan told the BBC earlier that he had only just heard about the allegations, and officials working for Mr Straw said he was informed on Saturday. |
| But shadow home secretary Mr Davis said he had warned the prime minister weeks ago a Labour MP was being bugged - but received no reply nor any indication action had been taken. | But shadow home secretary Mr Davis said he had warned the prime minister weeks ago a Labour MP was being bugged - but received no reply nor any indication action had been taken. |
| The US is currently seeking to extradite Babar Ahmad | |
| Mr Davis said he had been passed information that security services were tapping an MP's conversations and asked if it meant the "Wilson Convention" rules banning such actions had been abandoned. | Mr Davis said he had been passed information that security services were tapping an MP's conversations and asked if it meant the "Wilson Convention" rules banning such actions had been abandoned. |
| The bugging of MPs by police has been barred since 1966 under a principle established by Harold Wilson's government. | The bugging of MPs by police has been barred since 1966 under a principle established by Harold Wilson's government. |
| According to the Sunday Times, the bugging device was hidden inside a hollowed-out table in the jail's main visiting hall. | According to the Sunday Times, the bugging device was hidden inside a hollowed-out table in the jail's main visiting hall. |
| Commons inquiry | |
| The paper says it has seen a document showing there were internal concerns about bugging the MP, who is also a lawyer, but it went ahead anyway. | The paper says it has seen a document showing there were internal concerns about bugging the MP, who is also a lawyer, but it went ahead anyway. |
| Scotland Yard said it was not prepared to comment on the claims. | Scotland Yard said it was not prepared to comment on the claims. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYGiven the way some MPs act in this day and age I'd say it was about time the law was changed to allow bugging of their conversations.John ByngSend us your comments | |
| The Commons home affairs committee will investigate the allegations as part of their inquiry into whether the UK is becoming a "surveillance society". | The Commons home affairs committee will investigate the allegations as part of their inquiry into whether the UK is becoming a "surveillance society". |
| Committee chairman Keith Vaz told the BBC that if the allegations were true they would take the surveillance society into an entirely new dimension. | Committee chairman Keith Vaz told the BBC that if the allegations were true they would take the surveillance society into an entirely new dimension. |
| International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said the allegations relating to Mr Khan were "extremely serious". | International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander said the allegations relating to Mr Khan were "extremely serious". |
| He told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "I think there will be deep concern on all sides of the House of Commons if these allegations prove to be founded." | He told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "I think there will be deep concern on all sides of the House of Commons if these allegations prove to be founded." |
| Mr Alexander also praised Mr Khan's "measured and responsible" reaction. | Mr Alexander also praised Mr Khan's "measured and responsible" reaction. |