Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

MI6 apologises for court 'interference'

MI6 apologises for court 'interference'

MI6 officers have been accused of attempting to interfere in a major legal battle over crimes linked to intelligence agencies.
Documents reveal officers sought to prevent documents being provided to one of the country's top judges.

The agency has since apologised - but critics say it was an attempt to put pressure on the judge and his team.

On Monday, the judge said MI6 had acknowledged that nothing like the incident should ever happen again.

The allegation of an inappropriate attempt to intervene in the work of the semi-secret Investigatory Powers tribunal has emerged 16 months after the incident.

In early 2019, the IPT, which hears complaints against intelligence agencies, was gathering and considering evidence in a case about whether MI6 and others can authorise their agents to commit crimes.

MI6, its UK counterpart MI5 and the communications agency GCHQ, were preparing their defence against the case which could see the current secret rules being disclosed.

On 5 March, two MI6 officers called Susan Cobb, the secretary of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal. They told her the tribunal should not have been provided with copies of secret documents which were potentially relevant to the case.

The documents were highly-sensitive inspections of MI6's work. The IPT had a legal right to not only see the documents but also to consider them as evidence.

But the officers told Ms Cobb the documents should not be passed to Lord Justice Singh, other members of the tribunal or the senior lawyer who advises them.

Two days later, Ms Cobb wrote to MI6 saying the phone conversations amounted to "inappropriate interference".

"It was inappropriate for your staff to seek to intervene in ongoing legal proceedings in the way that they sought to do," she wrote. "The tribunal is an independent judicial body."

Ms Cobb then sent the letter to the independent watchdog that inspects MI6.

Days later, a senior MI6 manager replied, admitting the contact had been wrong.

"Please accept may apologies for any misunderstanding that may have arisen as a result of the approach made to the tribunal," said the letter.

In court on Monday, lawyers for the campaign groups in the case - Reprieve, Privacy International and the Pat Finucane Centre - called for a wider investigation. They said the tribunal should ask whether MI6's directors had ordered an attempt to interfere in the case. But lawyers for the government said the agency had already apologised for what had been a mistake.

Lord Justice Singh said he would not order a wider investigation into MI6's motivations.

"The tribunal's secretary acted entirely appropriately in responding the way she did and by drawing these matters to my attention," he said.

"This tribunal is, in substance, a court which is completely independent of the government, the intelligence agencies and everybody else.

"In March 2019, it was recognised that the direct communication was inappropriate. An apology was given and it was recognised that nothing like this should happen in the future. Everyone recognised that something serious had gone wrong."

Maya Foa, director of Reprieve, said: "Britain's security services play a crucial role in keeping this country safe.

"But they do not get to decide what evidence a court should see. MI6 was right to apologise."
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×