McGuinness 'still being bugged'

This is a crucial time in the peace process

Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness is still being bugged by British intelligence, a biography says.

The allegation that the party negotiator's phone conversations are being tapped, carried in Wednesday's Times, comes at a critical time in the peace process.

The last moves are being made to allow the return of Northern Ireland's suspended institutions before elections on 29 May.

The new edition of a biography of Mr McGuinness, entitled From Guns To Government, contains what are said to be transcripts of calls bugged by MI5.

One features former Northern Ireland Secretary Mo Mowlam telling Mr McGuinness of her battle to stop the prime minister sacking her, the Times said.

Another features Mr Blair's chief of staff Jonathan Powell joking to the Sinn Fein negotiator about unionist politicians who were "asses", the newspaper reported.

"We have no idea whether this document is genuine and therefore we have no comment to make," said a Downing Street spokesman.

A Sinn Fein spokesman told The Times: "Evidence of spying by the British system will surprise no-one. It's been part of Britain's war in Ireland for a very long time."

Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson is one of the Ulster Unionists alleged to have been the butt of Mr Powell's joke.

He told the paper the supposed comments showed "how low Downing Street is prepared to stoop to curry favour with those who have been responsible for the destruction of lives and property in Northern Ireland".

The newspaper said the bugging was part of a security services operation called "Narcotic1" and had started in the summer of 1997 and was still running.