How The Sunday Times broke the story | Mousetrap weblog

Video briefing: who is Babar Ahmad? | Bugging explained

The Government announced an urgent investigation today into news that a Muslim Labour MP was bugged by police while meeting a constituent in prison.

Sadiq Khan, a government whip, was covertly recorded during two visits he made to Babar Ahmad at Woodhill jail in Milton Keynes.

The alleged surveillance operation would breach a convention put in place more than 40 years ago by Harold Wilson – and reconfirmed by subsequent prime ministers including Tony Blair and Gordon Brown – that MPs should not be bugged.

In an emergency statement to the Commons today, Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, said he could not confirm any details of the alleged bugging or explain the precise circumstances, which would be investigated by Sir Christopher Rose, the Chief Surveillance Commissioner.

Mr Straw said that the "fact-finding" inquiry would be into whether any form of surveillance took place at the prison in 2005 and 2006 and, if so, who authorised it. He said that Sir Christopher hoped to complete the inquiry in two weeks and he would make a further statement to MPs on its findings.

News of the alleged bugging emerged yesterday in The Sunday Times, which reported that Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist squad eavesdropped on conversations between Mr Khan and Mr Ahmed, who is awaiting deportation to the United States over allegations that he ran a website to raise funds for Islamist extremists.

Mr Straw said he learnt of the allegations on Saturday afternoon and decided on the inquiry after discussing the matter with Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary.

He said authorisations were not granted "unless by law they are necessary for the detection or prevention of crime or the protection of national security" and the information could not be obtained by other means.

Any authorisation for interception of phone calls required a warrant personally signed by the relevant Secretary of State. The regime for intrusive surveillance operations by the police and other domestic law enforcement agencies was different, with a "hierarchy of approvals" depending on the nature of the operation.

In the case of eavesdropping operations authorisation was required by a chief police officer. Ministers played no part in these authorisations.

Times Recommends

• Please help: maimed children of war want their lives back
• Unlocking the cruellest prison
• Prince Charles named in £81m court battle