SECURITY INTEREST IN PROFUMO CASE

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30152, 8 June 1963, Page 11

SECURITY INTEREST IN PROFUMO CASE

Model Was Also Friendly With Russian Officer (NZ.PJL.-Reuter —Copyright) LONDON, June 7. The British Government faces new storms over the Profumo affair today, including demands for a full security investigation. The Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan) is expected to face a series of questions in the House of Commons over security aspects of the sensational resignation of, the War Minister when Parliament resumes after the Whitsun recess.

Several national newspapers reported today that Britain’s secret service knew that callers on a London model, Christine Keeler, included a Soviet military oflicer, as well as Mr Profumo.

They predicted this would lead to a political explosion because on this basis it was suggested Mr Macmillan, as the head of security, should have been aware of events that caused Mr Profumo’s resignation.

The 48-year-old Minister resigned his office two days ago. He confessed that, to protect his wife —former film s ar, Valerie Hobeon—and family, be had lied to Parliament last March in denying an improper relationship with 21-year-old Miss Keeler. Reports today focused on the belief that Miss Keeler, at the time she knew Mr Profumo. also had a friend in handsome, party-loving Captain Eugene Ivanov, the Soviet Embassy’s assistant military attache, who returned to Moscow early this year.

Some newspapers said a security report—including a check on the activities of Captain Ivanov —was being prepared for the Prime Minister. Agents of Britain's M. 1.5 were reported to have watched Captain Ivanov, Miss Keeler and Mr Profumo.

The “Daily Telegraph’s" front-page srtory' said Dr. Stephen Ward, a high society osteopath, had told security

men about Mr Profumo and Miss Keeler.

Agents of M. 1.5 "followed the then War Minister on occasions when he went to meet the model,” the “Daily Telegraph" report said. "One night security men watching Mr Profumo and security men watching Ivanov were outside Dr. Ward’s home.”

The “Daily Express” reported that Mr Macmillan had ordered a review of security and police reports on the Profumo affair.

The “Daily Express’ political writer said; “Labour Party leaders claim that though there is no question that Mr Profumo is in any way involved in a security leak, still this matter is extremely grave because it put the War Minister in a position where he could have been subjected to Russian blackmail.” Labour leaders “want to know whether the security services submitted what they knew about Mr Profumo. Miss Keeler and Captain Ivanov to Mr Macmillan — and when.” Report for Macmillan

The security report will be ready for Mr Macmillan on his return from holiday on Monday, the “Daily Sketch" reported.

The newspaper said: “The report gives details of a British security watch on a Lonond mews fiat where both Mr Profumo and Captain Ivanov met Christine Keeler Ivanov, who was recalled to Moscow a few months ago and is now 7 known to be a Soviet intelligence agent, was a big-spending man-about-town. He was a frequent caller on Dr. Ward . . .”

The “Daily Sketch” said critics of Mr Macmillan were saying he should have known the War Minister lied in denying last March that he had an improper relationship with the model.

The' “Daily Herald" ■ reported that the Prime Minister had ordered a probe into “the possibility that the Profumo scandal involved security risks. This issue may yet produce the biggest political explosion of all and rock the entity Government,” it said. The “Daily Mirror” said: “The Profumo scandal has made it necessary for the Prime Minister to answer these questions: "Did the security services know about the relationship between Mr Profumo and Miss Keeler?“If so. did they tell the Prime Minister? “If they did tell him, what action did Mr Macmillan take? "If they did not make a report to the Prime Minister, why not?” Mr Profumo particularly emphasised in his letter of resignation to the Prime Minister that there was no truth in suggestions that he might have been involved in some possible • breach of security. But the Labour Party leader, Mr Harold Wilson, on his return from Canada yesterday, said: “If there is any question of security in this it is a matter which the House of Commons not only has a right but a duty to press for further facts to be made known.”

The political correspondent of “The Times" said Mr Wilson was holding the firm line that his front bench at any rate should not pursue in Parliament the issue of Mr Profumo's relationship with Miss Keeler He would advise any of his back-benchers who consulted him to steer by the same compass points But it did not necessarily follow that all Labour back-benchers would

be ready to follow his advice and let the issues drop, the correspondent said. In a television interview last night, Dr. Ward, who introduced Miss Keeler to Mr Profumo, said he had later sent details of their affair to the British Security Service

He said: “I wanted to make it absolutely clear that I myself had not encouraged it and knowing that I had a friend in the Soviet Embassy, I think I was quite rightly disturbed about it.” Dr. Ward said he knew Mr Profumo and Miss Keeler had occasionally met at his (Ward’s) flat, but he did not know if there had been an affair between them., Dr Ward told the interviewer. Desmond Wilcox, that his patients and friends were being questioned by police The line of questioning seemed to indicate he had somehow been living on immoral earnings. Dr. Ward denied he was running a callgirl racket. Dr Ward told Wilcox of an interview he had after calling on the principal private secretary of the Prime Minister. He had told the secretary the circumstances of the relationship between Mr Profumo and Miss Keeler Letter To Brooke

Dr. Ward was questioned about a letter he sent to the Home Secretary (Mr Brooke) about a month ago giving further details of the affair. He said he had written the letter because he felt he had to clear his name by indicating he had not encouraged the relationship at any stage He had been disturbed about certain parts of the affair and had informed the security service of this at the time to make his own position clear and because he was disturbed by the fact he had a friend in .the Soviet Embassy. Dr. Ward said he had not revealed any evidence of impropriety to Mr Brooke because he knew of none at the time

He said he thought Mr Profumo’s statement on the matter last night was “an appalling thing. I am desperately sorry that it did happen, but I also owe something to those near to me as well, to clear my name, and I could see no other way of doing it," he said

Interviewed in the “Daily Express.” Miss Keeler said she had been Ivanov's friend while going about with “Jack ”

Her friendship with the former Minister had ended because she and Mr Profumo had been scared it would ruin his career, she said Mr Profumo is due to see the Queen on Tuesday to hand in his seals of office—lhe normal procedure when a cabinet minister resigns his post

Members of Parliament from both sides of the House were last night objecting to ‘he idea that Mr Profumo should have an audience with the Queen Although usual, it is not necessary for the seals can simply be handed in.