'UK's M15 tried to bug Pak's London embassy'
Wednesday, November 5 2003 21:07 Hrs (IST)
Islamabad: Pakistan's Embassy in Britain was the target of a bugging operation by British intelligence
agency MI5, for which it used an undercover building contractor last year, a media report in Islamabad
said.
Pakistan's mission in London was the unnamed embassy referred to in a London 'Sunday Times' report,
Pakistani newspaper 'Daily Times' quoted Foreign Office officials as saying.
"The report published in the British press did not mention the Pakistani High Commission by name, but
we know it is our High Commission. We are taking up the matter with the British Foreign Office through
our high commission," it quoted a Pakistani official as saying
The plan to bug the Pakistan mission appeared to have been authorised by British Home Secretary
David Blunkett, it said.
According to the 'Sunday Times', MI5 infiltrated the Embassy, stole codes used by Embassy staff to
send secret messages, and planned to plant listening devices and remove sensitive documents.
The agent who started the operation quit before the extensive bugging planned could be carried out
and later confessed his role to the Embassy.
PTI
What do you think of this article ? Click here to post your views

|