Sweeping for spies at the Vatican

By Peter Gould BBC News, Rome

John Paul II ordered tight security to protect against spying

It sounds like a scene from a novel by Dan Brown, the author of The Da Vinci Code.

A shadowy figure glides along the corridors of the Vatican, and slips into the Sistine Chapel.

Unseen in the darkness, he hides a radio transmitter beneath a chair.

Hours later, as cardinals meet to elect a new Pope, every word is recorded by the high-tech eavesdropper.

It sounds far fetched, but could it be fact rather than fiction?

Electronic sweep

John Paul II took the threat seriously enough to try to prevent any attempt to bug the conclave that will elect his successor.

Before the cardinals file into the Sistine Chapel on 18 April, the entire area will be swept electronically to ensure nobody has planted a listening device.

It has been suggested that laser microphones could pick up conversations inside by measuring the vibrations on the windows.

But Gerry Hall, managing director of British company Security Search, is sceptical.

"There is no magic device you can use from the outside of the building - they would have to get inside," he says.

Those responsible should know that they will be subject to grave penalties Pope John Paul II

"It would be difficult, but all you would need is one person on the inside - a cleaner for example - to secrete something.

"The ideal situation would be to use a GSM transmitter, which uses all the technology of a mobile phone, but you can call it from anywhere in the world and listen to what is going on.

"It is encrypted and very difficult for a sweep team to find."

Such a device would be about the size of a cigarette lighter. Once in place, it could transmit for about 10 days before the batteries failed.

Arcane system

But would there really be much point in bugging the cardinals in the Sistine Chapel?

"I am sure it is technically possible, just as it is possible to sweep for such devices, but I am not sure it would be practical," says Charles Shoebridge, security analyst and former intelligence officer at Scotland Yard.

Experts say a worker could secrete a device in the Sistine Chapel

"Although you might overhear negotiations, the voting system they use is quite arcane, with nominations being written on pieces of paper.

"I am not sure a bugging device would reveal very much.

"Unlike with diplomats, statesmen and politicians, the end result of this procedure will be made public anyway.

"So the benefit of getting the early knowledge may well be outweighed by the potential risk and political fallout of having listening devices discovered and identified."

The task of looking for bugging devices inside the Vatican has been given to "two trustworthy technicians".

Anyone caught breaching security faces the wrath of the Vatican.

John Paul II warned: "Those responsible should know that they will be subject to grave penalties according to the judgement of the future Pope."

He could be forgiven for being a little paranoid.

As the young Karol Wojtyla, he survived the Nazi occupation of Poland during World War II. He went on to become a priest in a Communist state that kept a close watch on the Church.

Information is power, and if someone wants something badly enough they will get it Justin King Security consultant

So he knew all about being under surveillance.

Ensuring that the conclave is not bugged is likely to be an expensive job, according to Justin King, managing director of the security consultants C2i International.

"You can never be 100% bug proof," he says.

"Information is power, and if someone wants something badly enough they will get it.

"About 80% of sweeping is physical. It is getting down on your hands and knees, amongst the dirt, and looking for devices.

"It won't be cheap, and it will involve lots of manpower. It will be a huge undertaking."

Global impact?

The question that remains is, who would actually benefit from the conclave being bugged? Are foreign powers prepared to spy on the cardinals?

The Communist regime in Poland was shocked by the election of John Paul II in 1978, having had no warning of the dramatic events unfolding in Rome.

The subsequent collapse of the Soviet bloc suggests they were right to be alarmed.

Today, there is speculation that we may be about to see the election of a pope from the developing world. A pontiff determined to tackle poverty and international debt might have an equally big impact on global politics.

Some security consultants think the Catholic Church is wise to protect the cardinals' discussions.

"This is not about industry secrets," says Justin King.

"This is a lot more important. It is about the future of the Catholic Church."