Shayler: I acted in public interest
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The former MI5 officer David Shayler admitted in court yesterday he had copied 250 confidential documents, which included the names of secret agents, and given them to a newspaper. But Mr Shayler, 36, told the Old Bailey he had "acted in the public interest" by handing over the documents, for which he was paid £40,000 in expenses.
The prosecution said there was no such defence under the 1989 Official Secrets Act.
Mr Shayler, who denies three breaches of the Act, insisted he was "an honourable man" proud to have served his country. He admits copying sensitive documents and, after leaving the Security Service, passing them to The Mail on Sunday in 1997.
He agreed in court that one of the topics was a history of links between IRA funding and Libya, which were "chock-a-block" with agents' names and sources. Nigel Sweeney QC, for the prosecution, asked him: "And those brave people who provided that information could sleep safely in their beds when you photocopied it and removed it?"
Mr Shayler, who is defending himself, said: "These were the actions of an honourable man, not someone trying to undermine the interest of my country. I put my life at risk to stop terrorist attacks in this country."
The trial continues.