COMMUNICATION CLAIM TRIBUNAL ENDING
A court fight involving a civil liberties campaign group and Government intelligence services is drawing to a close.
Liberty says it believes that its private communications have been ''interfered with'' in breach of human-rights legislation and has made claims against the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), the Secret Intelligence Service - MI6 - and the Security Service - MI5 - at a special tribunal in London.
Ministers are contesting the claims and James Eadie QC, who heads a Government legal team, today outlined their position.
The public hearing before the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, which investigates complaints about the conduct of the security and intelligence services and often sits behind closed doors, began on Monday.
Lawyers say it will end tomorrow.
Five judges - chaired by tribunal president Mr Justice Burton - are hearing legal argument. They are expected to deliver a ruling at a later date.
Liberty argues that there is a ''reasonable likelihood'' that intelligence services have ''interfered with'' its private communications in breach of rights to private life and freedom of expression.
Officials want the tribunal to declare that GCHQ, MI6 and MI5 acted unlawfully.
The group says its claim is based on intelligence services' use of two programmes - PRISM and Tempora.
Officials say PRISM is a programme used by the United States' National Security Agency (NSA) to obtain data and Tempora a programme apparently used by GCHQ to intercept communications through fibre optic cables entering and leaving the UK.
Officials say legal action was launched in the wake of revelations by former NSA analyst Edward Snowden.
Mr Eadie has told judges that there is a "clear need" for the intelligence services to be able to share intelligence - on a proportionate basis - with foreign intelligence "partners". He says such work is appropriately governed by statute.
