◆ SpookStack

266. On Ith February,. 1363, the Commander of Special I went to see the Security Service with the report of the Marylebone officiirs of 5th February, 1963, This report showed that the police had bees s0@8 by Christine Keeler on 26th January that there was an illicit association between herself and Mr. Profumo, that she had met Captain Ivanov on a number of occasions, and that Stephen Ward had asked her to discover from Mr. Profumo the date on which atomic secrets were to be handed to Western Germany. Further, that the police had also. been told a good deal by Stephen Ward on 5th February. (The statements are set out in full im Chapter VI, paragraphs 80 and 87.) The matter was discussed by the Commander of Special Branch with a senior officer of the Security Service (who had been at the previous discussions and who knew of the decision that had been made). They decided that there was no security interest involved such as to warrant any further steps being taken. The papers were put before the Deputy Director-General, who ‘agreed with the decision and wrote this’ Mninute : “No action on this at present. ‘Please keep me informed of t any PY developments.” _ ge ’ 4 (viii) Did the Security Service Exr? 267, That decision was of crucial importance: for it meant that the important statements of 26th January and Sth February, 1963, never got any further. They never got to the Prime Minister or the Prime Minister's - Private Secretary or to any Minister until 29th May, 1963. The Home Secretary had some information on 27th March, 1963, which I have mentioned in paragraph 196. The question is whether the Security Service erred in not putting them forward. - Upon this point I would set out these matters for consideration. . (1) The Security Service were not greatly “impressed by Christine’s statement about Ward's request for information about atomic bombs. ere was no suggestion that Christine Keeler had complied with the request, or that Mr. Profumo had ever given her any such information. The only security interest would be a possible charge against Stephen Ward under Section 7 of the Official Secrets Act, 1920, for endeavouring to persuade Christine Keeler to commit an offence against the Act. But such a charge would be dependent on Christine Keeler’s testimony and it was very doubtful whether this was sufficiently trustworthy to warrant a prosecution. ; (2) There was at this point (7th February, 1963) no security risk. By this time Captain Ivanov had left the country. They had no reason to doubt the loyalty of Mr. Profumo. True it is they might havg their doubts as to his moral behaviour—for he might have had sggdflic association with Christine Keeler—but that was not a matter: to report. It might have political implications but it had nea any security interest. It might have been desirable to warn the Prine . . Minister about it, had he not known of it. But Admiralty House knew per i of it. So did the Chief Whip. And Mr. Profumo had been seen. They ae | * had not been told the result. Nor had they been asked for a report.