The covert surveillance of journalists and lawyers by police in Northern Ireland was not “widespread or systemic”, an independent review has found.

However, the McCullough review has identified more than 20 attempts made by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to identify journalists’ sources.

The review also raised “significant concerns” about the PSNI conducting trawls of its own communications systems records in “an untargeted wholesale attempt to identify unauthorised contact between PSNI personnel and journalists”.

Amnesty International has said the report “exposes a disturbing pattern of unlawful covert surveillance of journalists”.

Angus McCullough KC was commissioned by the PSNI to examine the issue after a tribunal last year ruled an undercover police operation to try to unmask the journalistic sources of two award-winning documentary makers was unlawful.

The Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) quashed a decision made by former PSNI chief constable George Hamilton to approve a directed surveillance authorisation (DSA) in an investigation into the leaking of a confidential document that appeared in a documentary on a Troubles massacre made by Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey.

The review, published on Wednesday, investigated covert measures used by police between January 2011 and November 2024.

The barrister said he had been given full access to PSNI records, systems and personnel.

Mr McCullough said: “I have found no basis for concerns that PSNI surveillance of journalists or lawyers is widespread or systemic.”

He said: “Whilst, there is scope for improvement in PSNI’s practices in various identified respects, and some specific incidents where there has been what I consider to be a failure to comply with the relevant legal provisions, I can find no basis for any suggestion that the powers available to PSNI are being routinely abused in relation to journalists, lawyers or others of special status as identified in the terms of reference.”

The review examined the practice of cross-checking journalists’ phone numbers against PSNI communication systems records, referred to as “washing through”.

It said this included the use of a list of more than 380 journalists’ contact numbers.

It said: “The scale of this practice, the duration over which it was carried out, and the apparent lack of any questioning as to the necessity or proportionality of a technique that seems to have been almost entirely ineffective in its aim of identifying inappropriate contact between PSNI officers and staff and journalists is troubling.

“I am relieved to find that the practice has been discontinued, having not been used since March 2023, and formally ended in May 2024.”

The review also examined PSNI applications for the use of Communications Data (CD), which it said does not involve access to the content of communications, but instead shows which numbers were in contact with each other and for how long.

It said: “We have identified 24 applications which appear to have been made with the purpose of identifying a journalists’ source within the time frame of the review.

“Of these applications, 21 applications were authorised whereas three were not.

“The applications relate to nine investigations in total.”

The report said in total 378 CD applications had been made relating to journalists, which included applications relating to bomb hoax or warning calls or situations were journalists had been the victim of crime.

The review also said that in the course of its investigations it had uncovered a “significant number” of digital files held by the PSNI which appeared to consist of data from devices seized from Mr McCaffrey and Mr Birney in 2018, and that their detention seemed to be a breach of orders made by the IPT.

It also said investigative reporter Donal MacIntyre, who is examining the circumstances surrounding the death and disappearance of Belfast schoolboy Noah Donohoe in 2020, had been the subject of a DSA.

However, it said this related to public posts on his X account and said there was no indication private communication between the journalist and Noah’s mother had been accessed by police.

The report said it had found direct surveillance had been used in relation to one other journalist and twice against a lawyer.

Mr McCullough said he was concerned this included the use of surveillance within a court building.

The review also dealt with reports that eight journalists in Northern Ireland had had their names run through a “stand-alone intelligence system” in 2017.

During the McCaffrey/Birney IPT hearings it was suggested by a lawyer that they had been targeted by the PSNI as “troublemaker journalists”.

The report said it did not believe any of the eight individuals was a practising journalist at the time.

The review makes 16 recommendations, including commissioning a supplementary report and the PSNI bringing together all the units responsible for the authorisation process for all forms of covert surveillance.

Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland director of Amnesty International UK, said: “This report exposes a disturbing pattern of unlawful covert surveillance of journalists, with the PSNI showing clear disregard for press freedom and the rule of law.

“The scale of the wrongdoing is alarming, from repeated attempts to identify reporters’ sources to covert operations concealed from oversight bodies.

“But questions remain. How far has MI5 gone in unlawfully monitoring journalists in Northern Ireland?

“A free press simply cannot function under the shadow of state surveillance.

“That is why we are asking the Secretary of State to set up a full public inquiry. Only full disclosure can restore trust and safeguard the rights of journalists in Northern Ireland.”

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said she is “very concerned” for the safety of those travelling on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla.

It comes as organisers of the flotilla as well as a number of Irish and international pro-Palestinian activists said they heard explosions and saw multiple drones target some of their boats.

Speaking to RTÉ News, Ms McDonald said: “There are more than 20 civilians, Irish citizens on the flotilla, including our colleague Chris Andrews.”

“There is no doubt that the Israeli targeting of the flotilla defies international law,” she said.

“They are acts of intimidation and menace.”

The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) departed Barcelona on 31 August, with the aim of breaking Israel’s blockade of Gaza. It currently numbers 51 vessels, most of which are off the Greek island of Crete.

It had already been targeted in two suspected drone attacks in Tunisia, where its boat had been anchored before resuming its voyage towards Gaza.

Ms McDonald added it is “absolutely essential that the Irish Government and others confront Netanyahu and confront Israel”.

“They believe they can act any way they wish because that has been allowed,” she said.

“The security of people on the flotilla needs to be guaranteed.”

She said she has been speaking to Senator Andrews and “his concern is for the wider safety of the flotilla and for people in Gaza who are suffering unspeakable horror”.

Speaking at a protest outside Leinster House, Ms McDonald said governments needs to show “the red card” to Israel. She said sanctions on the country are “needed now”.

“This has gone on too long,” said Ms McDonald.

“We face sure catastrophe and the extermination of the Palestinian people.”

Senator Andrews, who is on board the ship ‘The Sceptre’, said it was struck four times by drones.

He said there were no injuries or serious damage inflicted, and that those on board remain undeterred.

Senator Andrews called for the Irish Government to “arrange for an observer vessel to accompany the flotilla to ensure that Israel does not violate the human rights of its participants”.

“This is the most serious assault by Israel on this flotilla since it first departed from Barcelona over three weeks ago.

Read more: Italy sends navy assistance after Gaza flotilla attack

“The Irish Government has a responsibility to protect its citizens on this flotilla, as well as to stand up for human rights and justice,” he said.

Senator Andrews said the Irish Government needs to “publicly challenge the dangerous and blatantly false attempts by Israel to misrepresent the purpose of this flotilla as anything other than non-violent and humanitarian in nature”.

“Ireland needs to stand up to these threats and say clearly to the world that Israel’s weapons of war will not deter humanity,” he said.

“I urge people at home to contact the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, and their local public representatives to call on them to intervene to protect this flotilla.”

Lynn Boylan to write to EU commission

Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan said she will write to the EU commission to demand they call for safe passage of the flotilla.

“The EU must not stand idly by while innocent civilians are put in danger by doing what the EU hasn’t had the courage to do,” the Dublin MEP said.

“I would also urge everyone to contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and urge them to intervene to protect the many Irish citizens, as well as all other civilians travelling as part of this peaceful flotilla,” she added.

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy wrote on X: “The #GlobalSumudFlotilla is under attack from Israel in international waters right now. Multiple boats reporting attacks by drones. Contact the government. Demand they send an observer to the flotilla.”

Israel, which blocked two previous attempts by activists to reach Gaza by sea in June and July, said Monday it would not allow the flotilla to reach the embattled Palestinian territory.

Israel has come under huge international pressure over its war in Gaza, which has sparked a dire humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory.

Last month, a body backed by the United Nations officially declared famine in part of Gaza.

While on 16 September, UN investigators accused Israel of committing “genocide” in the besieged territory, nearly two years after the war erupted following Hamas’s 7 October 2023, attack on Israel.

The Conservative Party has called for an investigation into the Downing Street chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, claiming he sought to mislead a UK election watchdog.

Mr McSweeney, a native of Macroom, Co Cork, has served in his current role since October last year.

While in opposition, he led a think-tank known as Labour Together, which is credited with helping the party prepare for its ultimate general election success in July 2024.

However, in 2021, it was fined £14,250 (€16,323) by the UK’s Electoral Commission over its handling of almost £740,000 in donations.

The Conservative Party has published correspondence which suggests that Mr McSweeney was advised to describe the failure to declare the donations as an “admin error”.

It has been met with criticism by many senior Labour figures, with the Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy describing the controversy as “muck-racking”.

Labour Together has also insisted that the issue has been dealt with.

“The Electoral Commission’s investigation, with which Labour Together fully co-operated, was completed in 2021. The outcome was made public and widely covered by the media at the time”, it said in a statement.

Pat McFadden, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, told BBC Radio this morning that the Conservative Party was trying to “attack somebody who is very effective”.

He described Mr McSweeney as an “integral part of Labour’s general election campaign”.

The Conservative Party is also calling for an investigation into Prime Minister Keir Starmer, claiming he failed to declare support from the think-tank Labour Together.

Downing Street has insisted that everything was properly declared.

Conservative Party chair Kevin Hollinrake claimed that Mr Starmer received help from Labour Together, which included “secret polling to help writing his speeches and behind the scenes campaigning”.

The party has written to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner.