“The word of a Russian agent against the word of an MP?”
“You could hardly cast doubt on the veracity of a man with whom you admit that you had such a close and continuous relationship.” He paused. “And why do you assume that you would want to cast doubt on what he has told us?”
“When was he arrested?”
“I’m afraid I can’t discuss such matters with you.” He paused. “Then there is your relationship with a Mr. Holloway, a lecturer at Aston University.”
“And what’s wrong with that may I ask?”
Sir Peter saw the relief in Maguire-Barton’s eyes at the change of direction of the interview. “Mr. Holloway is also a contact of Mr. Grushko and has received certain benefits from him that would take a lot of explaining.”
“What kind of benefits?”
“Much the same as you received yourself from the same source. All-expenses-paid trips to Warsaw Pact capitals for instance.”
“I was a member of a parliamentary group.”
“You’ve had four trips to Prague, one to Warsaw, two to Sofia and two to Moscow which were all private trips. And on at least three of those trips you used a passport that was not your own.”
“Whose passport was it?”
“That would be given in evidence if the matter came before a court. It’s hard evidence, on the record.”
Maguire-Barton frowned. “What court case are you on about?”
“Mr. Maguire-Barton, you don’t seem to appreciate that you might well be prosecuted for endangering the security of the State.”
“But that’s preposterous.”
Now that it had got to the bluster and indignation stage Sir Peter had had enough.
“Preposterous or not, that is what will inevitably happen if you don’t heed my advice.”
“What advice, for Christ’s sake, I haven’t had any advice.”
“I’m about to give you my advice, Maguire-Barton. It would be to your benefit if you not only listened, but listened carefully.”
“Don’t sermonise—just say what you’ve got to say.”
For long moments Sir Peter looked at Maguire-Barton without speaking and he was aware of the white knuckles and the small vein that had come up on Maguire-Barton’s forehead.
“I’m not sure in the light of your attitude that I want to give you advice. Maybe you’ll learn quicker the hard way.”
“OK,” Maguire-Barton said quietly. “Tell me what you want.”
“First of all I want you to understand that a record of our discussion will go on the files. I told you that this meeting had its formalities. That’s one of them.” He paused. “My advice is quite simple, Maguire-Barton. Stop playing games with Moscow. No more contacts with them, official or unofficial. And stop assisting or advising the people or groups who are trying to infiltrate your own Party.”
Maguire-Barton shrugged. “And what if I don’t go along with your advice?”
“Then we’ll throw the book at you.”
“You haven’t got a shred of evidence that a court would accept.”
“I won’t comment on that piece of wishful thinking but you might care to reflect on what your position will be in the Party and outside when what we have is pinned on you in open court.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Yes.”
“In that case …”
Sir Peter held up his hand. “Don’t go on, Maguire-Barton. I’ve had enough of you. But I warn you. One wrong move and your feet won’t touch, you’ll be at the Old Bailey before you can draw breath. And whether you’re found guilty or not you’ll be finished, in public life and in private too.”
“You bastards should be controlled and I’ll bloody well see that you are.”
Sir Peter stood up and said quietly, “Don’t tempt me, Maguire-Barton. You’ve had your little fling. Don’t push your luck.” He walked to the desk and pressed one of the buttons on a panel. One of the juniors came in almost immediately.
“Jonathan, please show Mr. Maguire-Barton the way out.” He turned to Maguire-Barton and said, “Thank you so much for your co-operation Mr. Maguire-Barton. You’ve been a great help.”
Maguire-Barton opened his mouth to speak, saw the look on Sir Peter’s face, and then changed his mind, heading for the open door.
26
Macleod and Shapiro had always got on well despite the rifts that sometimes disturbed the various levels of relationships between SIS and the CIA. Macleod was in his middle-fifties, experienced, a good negotiator and always amiable and relaxed. And always used the opportunity of the liaison meeting to get Shapiro’s views on current CIA problems concerning the KGB. On several occasions tentative offers had been made to the Brit to recruit him to the CIA. But Shapiro knew that his almost unlimited brief on combating the KGB in SIS would not be possible in the much larger organisation in the USA. In London he was three thousand miles nearer the Soviet Union. They were almost at the end of the agenda of their routine Washington liaison meeting when Macleod raised the point under “Any other business.”
He looked at Shapiro. “Have you got any points?”
“Nothing official.”
“What unofficial?”
“There was a question raised at my last liaison meeting with GCHQ. They queried whether Fort George Meade ever passed on commercial surveillance material to US companies that could disadvantage British industry or commerce.”
“What did you say to them?”
“I assured them that it didn’t happen and would never happen but I promised to raise the point either with NSA or you guys on a semi-official basis.”
“Well let’s put the cards on the table. The National Security Agency, as you know, carries out radio and telephonic surveillance on everything. Specific targets are the main traffic but their listening facilities are non-specific. They sweep the whole world like a damn great vacuum cleaner and suck in everything. Radio at all levels, satellites, telephones—the lot. And that includes commercial stuff. Foreign and domestic. Indiscriminately. The censorship comes at evaluation level.
“There’s no way we can handle all we get but some commercial stuff has a security element in it. High-tech and weaponry for instance. Also the movement of large sums of cash here and overseas. That stuff’s pulled out with check-words. The rest is retained on tape for two months and then
