30/09/2008

Police Investigate eBay Camera 'MI6 Photos'

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the sale of a digital camera on an internet auction site, which may have contained MI6 images of terror suspects.

A bidder who bought the Nikon Cool Pix camera for just £17 on eBay, discovered photographs of rocket launchers and missiles, as well as names of al Qaeda members, fingerprints and suspects' academic records, the Sun newspaper reported.

The 28-year-old from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, who bought the camera, only discovered the images when he was downloading holiday pictures from the device.

A spokeswoman for Hertfordshire Police said: "We can confirm we seized a camera after a member of the public reported it. Intelligence officers are investigating."

A Foreign Office spokeswoman also said: "We can confirm a police investigation is underway."

However, the spokeswoman refused to comment on reports the camera was sold by an MI6 agent.

(JM)

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