Katharine Gun’s case (2004)
Gun was a translator in the GCHQ who claimed that
the US has asked the UK to tap phones of nations voting on the war on
Iraq .
This request was sent by an American intelligence agency via e-mail, which she
had access to. Gun was sacked from her position in the GCHQ and was charged
under the OSA 1989. In a sudden turn of events the prosecution offered no
evidence on the date of trial and all charges were dropped. This prompted
speculation that the government was worried about disclosure of secret
documents during trial, especially the advise given by the AG to the government
on the legality of the war. Gun’s case prompted further allegations by Clare
Short accusing the British government of spying on the UN Secretary General