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British bugged Ahern and Reynolds
Monday, 17 November 2008
Successive Irish premiers, government ministers and senior civil servants had their communications bugged by Britain’s secret intelligence services.
Two former Taoisigh have now spoken publicly for the first time about how they employed diversionary tactics when using phones to call British prime ministers.
The Irish Independent has learned that former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds knew that his phones were bugged when he was working on Northern Ireland’s peace process.
Speaking about his experience publicly for the first time, Mr Reynolds said that the question of phone bugging arose when he was speaking to former British Prime Minister John Major.
Mr Reynolds played a key role in securing the IRA ceasefire in 1994 when Mr Major was British prime minister. “It was often John Major who would suggest calling him on a secure number and me not addressing anything sensitive from my office or mobile phone,” Mr Reynolds said.
Bertie Ahern said that he developed a secret system with Tony Blair to prevent Britain’s internal security service MI5 and senior officials in Downing Street monitoring their phone calls.
The revelation comes in tonight’s instalment of RTE’s Bertie series when Mr Ahern talks about how he and Mr Blair secured the historic peace deal 10 years ago. Mr Ahern says: “The British tape everything, which is not our culture. You can be sure when you are talking to the British prime minister that, if it is not being taped by his office, MI5 are.”
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Big Brother is here to stay - look at the US!
Posted by Patrick J. Corr | 19.11.08, 15:50 GMT
The Irish Special Branch would also have used phone taps and other methods of surveillance. However the spying carried out by state security agencies is small beer compared to what is carried out by sales and marketing organizations.
Posted by Jim /stockman | 18.11.08, 19:31 GMT
What more proof do you need that the British have a corrupt government?
Posted by Jon | 18.11.08, 18:14 GMT
Why is this shocking? Everyone knows that governments spy on others, be they foreign or domestic....par for the course
No, shocking is the fact that British governments, throught their agents in the Police and in the Army, actually planned and murdered their own citizens
Now that's what I call truly shocking folks....
Posted by Derren | 18.11.08, 10:45 GMT
And we're supposed to trust our government. When will the british learn. Maybe right after the americans. Fat Chance! I am 59 years old and have learned one thing about politicians - Never believe a word they say. A disgusted citizen. There is no honour in politics
Posted by PD Whistle | 17.11.08, 23:07 GMT
Spying, wire and phone tapping unfortunately, on just about everyone in high public office worldwide has become a fixed but often not-spoken diplomatic and military fact of life. The British do it, the Chinese do it, the Russians do it, the Americans do it, the Germans do it, the French do it, etc., etc. Lately, the USA has used the Patriot Act and the "Bush Doctine" to spy on its own citizens selectively monitoring e-mails, phone conversations, etc., at will. In reality there is little privacy in the world today and the old phrase "a man's home is his castle" has been altered to "a man's home is open to anyone who cares to snoop."
Posted by Jim Guinnessey | 17.11.08, 21:58 GMT
I would have been shocked if the security services hadn't monitored the calls.In security matters you have do this in all dealings with potentially hostile nations.As it is now known we monitored all messages ie. faxes,e-mails,phone calls and any other form of messaging you can think of from the island of Ireland for many years.
Posted by Gordon | 17.11.08, 17:40 GMT
Isn't that the point of intelligence services?
I'd certainly be wondering what we're paying them for if they weren't bugging and keeping an eye on other governments.
Posted by Kathie | 17.11.08, 17:27 GMT
Interesting to note how John Major and Teflon Tony actively sought to evade the recording of their conversations by the same security services they employed to listen in and record everything.
Posted by Thos | 17.11.08, 13:48 GMT
Not quite cricket with a straight bat , old boy !
Posted by Brian | 17.11.08, 13:13 GMT
Clearly the security services play an important role in fighting terrorism, but if even the British government can't operate without falling under their eye then I'd be very concerned. Government proposals in the Communications Data Bill to place everyone under their eye are very disturbing. So mark these words: "The British tape everything".
Posted by Michael | 17.11.08, 12:59 GMT