Ex-policeman charged with secrets offences
A 48-year-old former Special Branch officer has been charged with offences under the Official Secrets Act following an investigation into the alleged leaking of transcripts of phone calls between Martin McGuinness and senior government officials.
The former police officer was arrested on Wednesday. He was bailed yesterday to appear in court at a later date.
Earlier yesterday, the Northern Ireland editor of the Sunday Times, Liam Clarke and his wife Kathryn Johnston were released on bail pending further inquiries.
The pair, who co-wrote a biography of Mr McGuinness, entitled From Guns to Government, were also questioned about the transcripts which were said to detail conversations between Mr McGuinness and former Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam as well as Tony Blair’s chief of staff Jonathan Powell.
