BBC Apologises To Queen After Hamza Breach

The BBC has been forced to issue an apology to Buckingham Palace after it revealed the details of a confidential conversation held between the Queen and a correspondent.

Earlier, the broadcaster's security correspondent Frank Gardner recalled a conversation he had with Her Majesty about her concerns over the UK's inability to arrest the radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza.

In the interview on Radio 4, he described how the Queen told him she had previously raised the issue with a senior cabinet minister, during the Labour government.

"This is a conversation we had a little while ago and she did say that she had mentioned to - I don't know which home secretary it was at the time - that was there not some law he had broken?" Mr Gardner said.

"I wouldn't say she was necessarily lobbying, that's not for me to say, but like anybody she was upset that her country and her subjects had been denigrated by this man who was using this country as a platform for his very violent, hateful views."

Officials said on Monday that Hamza can be extradited to the US after Europe's human rights judges rejected his request for an appeal.

The decision means Hamza, who was jailed for seven years for soliciting to murder and inciting racial hatred, can now be extradited with four others, including terror suspect Babar Ahmad.

In a letter to Buckingham Palace, the broadcaster said the conversation should have remained private and Mr Gardner apologised for the breach of confidence.

A BBC spokesman said: "This morning on the Today programme, our correspondent Frank Gardner revealed details of a private conversation which took place some years ago with the Queen.

"The conversation should have remained private and the BBC and Frank deeply regret this breach of confidence. It was wholly inappropriate. Frank is extremely sorry for the embarrassment caused and has apologised to the palace."

The palace and Home Office have declined to comment on the apology so far.