Bo Xilai 'tapped president's telephone calls'

The disgraced communist leader Bo Xilai eavesdropped on China's president Hu Jintao and other senior party figures as part of a widespread wiretapping operation, according to Chinese officials investigating the suspected murder of British businessman Neil Heywood.

Internal party reports allege that Bo listened in to Hu's conversations in an attempt to monitor official investigations into corruption allegations against him and his wife Gu Kailai. Bo was sacked as the party chief of the south-western city of Chongqing in March, wrecking his hopes of being appointed to the nine-man national politburo.

His downfall has been connected to the death of Heywood, 41, who is alleged to have been murdered by Gu after business deals turned sour.

Wang Lijun, Bo's former ally and police chief, is said to have told US diplomats that Gu poisoned M Heywood with cyanide after he threatened to reveal the extent of her illegal business dealings.

Bo is said to have ordered Wang to tap the phones at the state guesthouse in Chongqing where senior officials stay on visits. Officials said it was discovered that Hu's conversations with Ma Wen, the minister of supervision, had been recorded. Ma's department is responsible for combating corruption in the party. However, senior party sources cast doubt on the allegation, saying it would have been "far too risky".