◆ SpookStack

i F a“ — + JA9, It has been said that the Security Service ought to have doné differently. They ought to havé seta watch on Ward's house or got petmission to tap his telephone calis: for they would then have @igeovered that Mr. Profumo was having an affair with Christine Keeler af: Stephen Ward’s house and that Captain Ivanov was often at the house ton, Mut ¥ ani satisfied that this criticism is mistaken. The Security Service knew all that they needed to know about the Ivanov-Ward relationship! aod. 4: Would ‘not have increased their knowledge to set a watch on Ward's house. They kiew that Ivanov was a Russian Intelligence Officer, They already had from other sources information as to Ivauov’s visits to and relations with Ward. They kaew also that Mr. Profumo was on occasions visiting Ward’s house. They acted on that information by having Mr. Profumo warned. I do not think the Security Service should be blamed for not doing more. ' feosge We cd Eyre te pote Abe Co geebe fob les e or Bo Lo. (vi) Suspicions Grow about Ward st - 250, From November, 1961, to May, 1962, many people were beginning to be suspicious of Stephen Ward. At a party at the Soviet Embassy, he seemed very much at home. In talking to patients he was obviously sympathetic to the Communist régime. Several thought that he was a security risk. Reports began to come into the Security Service: and also to the Special Branch of the Metropolitan Police, who passed them on to the Security Service. Stephen Ward got to know that he had been reported as a suspicious character. So he himself approached the Security Service—no doubt so as to get in first. On 28th May, 1962, the security officer saw him again. He was the same officer who had seen him previously. He reported that, - ‘ . So te “more than once Ward assured me that if Ivanov ever attempted to make use of him for any illegal purpose, or if be showed any inclination to defect, he would get in touch with me immediately . . . my impression of Ward temains the same .. . he is in my opinion basically a decent fellow despite the fact that he has accepted as true much of the propaganda pumped into him by Ivanov. I do not believe he is a Communist but there is no doubt that he holds queer opinions about Russia’s aims in international affairs. I do not believe that he would wittingly be disloyal to this country but at the same time I recognise that he might well do considerable harm without intending it. One of his very obvious faults is that he talks too much.” (vii) The Foreign Office is Warned 251. The Security Service followed this up by making sure that the Foreign Office knew about Ward. On 12th June, 1962, they wrote to the Foreign Office and also saw them; and warned them that Ivanov was a member of the Russian Intelligence Service and that Ward was both naive and indiscreet. : 252, A few months later reports began to come in to th Service, too, about Ward’s immoral activities. On 4th Octobety,, were informed that, “From what I hear of Ward and his dea women and his enormous circle of friends, I strongly suspect thef he is the provider of popsies for rich people.” 84