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An odious law

Overhaul the Official Secrets Act

Last week, Katharine Gün, until last June a translator at the Government Communication Headquarters, was charged with alleged disclosures of top-secret information under this country's draconian Official Secrets Act. It has been reported that the disclosures may relate to an article published in this newspaper in March, revealing a secret attempt by the United States to spy on delegations at the UN headquarters in New York.

A document from the US National Security Agency reprinted by The Observer showed that the Americans had asked British intelligence to help in an illegal operation. The US wanted British assistance in gathering information from countries whose votes were needed for a second UN resolution to authorise war in Iraq.

A statement issued by Ms Gün shows she believed there was an illegal attempt to subvert British intelligence services. We support her courageous statement and condemn a clumsy and inappropriate use, yet again, of Britain's outdated secrecy laws. The Labour Party, which in opposition believed the OSA should allow a public-interest defence, should now commit itself to repealing or amending a law which treats whistleblowers as traitors. The continuing prosecution of Ms Gün can only harm the reputation of the Government, the more so if the Foreign Office refuses to tell the public whether Britain did in fact help the US to spy on UN delegations.