THAMES Valley Police has refused to confirm if it is one of the 19 forces using anti-terrorism laws to uncover journalists’ confidential sources.

Earlier this month a report by Interception of Communications Commissioner Sir Anthony May revealed 19 forces had used the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act – originally intended to target terrorists and serious crime – and had made 608 applications in just three years to find out journalists’ sources.

Under the practice, police forces just apply to themselves to be cleared to seize and trawl confidential communications records.

The report revealed the applications covered 34 cases, 105 journalists and 242 of their sources.

Journalists have traditionally protected their sources to stop officials punishing whistleblowers who expose corruption, crimes and wrongdoing.

Our top stories

Sir Anthony recommended that judges should have to approve such applications in future, which Home Secretary Theresa May has accepted and which Culture Secretary Sajid Javid has said should be in place before the General Election.

Thames Valley Police has previously been caught using Ripa to bug weekly newspaper reporter Sally Murrer in the mid-2000s. Its case against her was later thrown out by a judge.

Sir Anthony’s report only covers the past three years but Thames Valley Police refused on Friday to answer Oxford Mail questions about whether it was one of the 19 forces.

Head of communications Michelle Nichols said the questions would be considered under the Freedom of Information Act – which buys the force up to 20 days to decide if it will release any information.

It has previously refused several FoI applications about using Ripa in recent months.

The reasons given in those refusals have included – from public access manager Jonathan Hands – a claim that releasing the information might aid terrorists.

Its initial reason for not releasing its records on Ripa use against journalists was that it would take too much effort to pull it together.

However, once the inquiry was made it did supply it.

Mr Javid said: “I was shocked by what was revealed (by Sir Anthony).

“In Paris we saw terrorists attacking the fundamental freedoms of the media, so I was appalled to discover that legislation created to hamper terrorists was now being used to undermine those very same freedoms.

“Blowing a whistle on council corruption doesn’t warrant undercover surveillance. A front page that embarrasses a senior politician is not a threat to national security.

“Journalism is not terrorism.”