Spy chief to interrogate Ryan
By Martin Chulov, National police writer
01feb02
The Australian
THE man who supervises the nation's spy services will ask to formally interview NSW police commissioner Peter Ryan over claims Mr Ryan used ASIO to sack a dissident consultant.
Inspector-general of intelligence and security Bill Blick yesterday interviewed the man at the centre of the probe, Jim Ritchie, a one-time spy-turned-police adviser, who fell out with Mr Ryan's executives after slamming the reform process.
Mr Blick has launched a formal inquiry into Mr Ritchie's claim that after his outburst 15 months ago, Internal Affairs chief Mal Brammer asked an officer to glean information from ASIO about Mr Ritchie's background.
The claims stem from evidence Mr Brammer gave at a NSW Police Integrity Commission hearing last year that ASIO had provided information used to create a document called "James Ritchie: A Risk Perspective" that was given to Mr Ryan.
Mr Brammer told the PIC Mr Ryan had urged him to check into Mr Ritchie's background despite him advising such an approach would be "dangerous" and "risky".
Mr Ritchie was sacked in Decem ber 2000 and has not worked since.
Mr Ryan denied the claim this week and said he welcomed the inspector-general's inquiry.
Also in Mr Blick's sights are spies attached to ASIO's Sydney office who will be formally interviewed today.
ASIO director-general Dennis Richardson is understood to be determined to find out whether staff leaked information, which if proven would be in breach of the ASIO Act and could result in criminal charges.
The inspector-general has the powers of a standing royal commission to compel any witness to help with inquiries.
Aside from ASIO, Mr Blick is responsible for supervising the foreign spy service ASIS, the Defence Signals Directorate and the Defence Intelligence Organisation.