July 6, 2009
Photographs and personal details about the next head of Britain's MI6 foreign intelligence service, John Sawers, have been removed from social networking website Facebook after a British newspaper published them.
The Mail on Sunday newspaper printed pictures and family information it had obtained from Facebook pages attributed to his wife, Lady Shelley Sawers.
"The information has been taken out," a Foreign Office spokesman said when questioned about the matter.
The newspaper added that the Facebook pages revealed details about where they live and work, who their friends are and where they go on holiday, and included a picture of Sawers in his swimming trunks.
Sawers, currently Britain's ambassador to the United Nations, was named last month as the new head of its MI6 foreign intelligence service, who is traditionally known by his James Bond-style moniker, C.
British foreign secretary David Miliband, speaking on BBC television, described Sawers as an "outstanding professional" and brushed off the story.
"He was appointed 10 days ago to be the head of MI6; he's an outstanding professional who will do a really good job in an outstanding organisation that does a huge amount for this country," Miliband said.
He added: "The fact that there's a picture (showing) that the head of the MI6 goes swimming. Wow, that really is exciting.
"It is not a state secret that he wears Speedo swimming trunks. For goodness' sake, let's grow up."
Sawers, who is 53, will take over at MI6, or the Secret Intelligence Service, in November, replacing John Scarlett, who has spent more than five years in the job.
The Mail on Sunday said the Facebook page had "virtually no privacy protection" and could therefore be viewed by any of the many millions of Facebook users around the world.
"There were fears that the hugely embarrassing blunder could have compromised the safety of Sir John's family and friends," the newspaper said.
Publishing the story on its front page and the pictures on a double-page spread, the Mail on Sunday said the information "could potentially be useful to hostile foreign powers or terrorists".
It was the latest in a string of security blunders, lapses and leaks by British officials that have embarrassed the government of embattled Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
