A SECRET camera has reportedly been found in the ceiling of a building where the Chinese mega embassy planning application was worked on.
The discovery was made by security workers at the building which houses the and the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), sparking spying fears.
A camera was allegedly found in the ceiling of a building where discussions over China’s super embassy took place Credit: Darren Fletcher
Royal Mint Court, the site for the new Chinese Embassy near Tower Bridge Credit: Getty
The offices in Marsham Street in Victoria, were used by officials while working on the controversial planning application of the new mega-embassy for , reports The i Paper .
A camera was allegedly found in a ceiling panel above a communal area used by civil servants within the last two months.
The covert device has shocked staff and raised concerns that they were being watched and listened to.
Security Services have been informed and inquiries are ongoing – but it’s not yet clear how the camera got there or how long it’s been there.
The Sun has approached the MHCLG for comment.
This disturbing find will renew espionage concerns in relation to the approved plans for China’s new super embassy in the capital, which has .
When construction plans for the near the Tower of London were given the green light by Housing Secretary Steve Reed in January, critics slammed the proposals as a security nightmare.
The building was once home to trading floor, so it is wired into City financial houses.
This has sparked fears that Chinese snoopers could tap into fibre optic cables to filch sensitive information.
There are worries that the 208-room complex will be used to carry out espionage activities – and even to detain dissidents now living in the UK.
Mi5 director general Sir Ken McCallum warned in a joint letter with GCHQ’s director: “MI5 has over 100 years of experience managing national security risks associated with foreign diplomatic premises in London.
“For the Royal Mint Court site, as with any foreign embassy on UK soil, it is not realistic to expect to be able wholly to eliminate each and every potential risk.
“And even if this were a practicable goal, it would be irrational to drive ’embassy-generated risk’ down to zero when numerous other threat vectors are so central to the national security risks we face in the present era.
“However, the collective work across UK intelligence agencies and HMG departments to formulate a package of national security mitigations for the site has been, in our view, expert, professional and proportionate.”
Shadow National Security minister Alicia Kearns said that granting permission would hand China “a launchpad for economic warfare at the heart of the central nervous system of our critical national infrastructure”.
But despite the security fears, gave the embassy the go-ahead before his visit to China in January.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
