The Northern Ireland editor of the Sunday Times barracked the chief constable of the PSNI at a public session of the Policing Board in Belfast yesterday.
Mr Liam Clarke, who was arrested, questioned, and released without charge last week, shouted "answer the question" after Mr Hugh Orde was tackled by DUP member Mr Sammy Wilson.
Mr Wilson asked who had authorised the arrest in connection with publication of details of taped conversations between Mr Martin McGuinness and Dr Mo Mowlam and a leading British official. He also wanted to know if Mr Orde would apologise.
Mr Wilson further asked if the police operation was an example of "political policing" which, he alleged, was "designed to punish those who have caused some embarrassment to the Prime Minister, because it highlighted a cosy relationship" between the former northern secretary, Mr Blair's political adviser and Mr McGuinness.
Mr Orde told the meeting the arrest of a former RUC constable had followed the operation. He said if there is dissatisfaction with the way his officers carried out the investigation, there is a formal process which can be enacted.
On the question of an apology he said: "If it is appropriate to apologise, then I will apologise." Turning to suggestions that Mr Clarke's arrest was politically influenced, Mr Orde said: "This was a crime inquiry which resulted in a charge. I don't see how that is political. I was not asked or imposed upon by anyone to carry out any investigation into that. It was an allegation of crime that we picked up and dealt with and brought to a conclusion." However, Mr Clarke rejected these responses.
Speaking after the meeting he said: "He was asked did he think he would apologise in the same way as he did after the raid on Stormont and he said he would apologise if it was appropriate to apologise - now that's not a straight answer, that's gobbledygook. He also went on to hide behind subordinates when he was asked if he had authorised a raid on our house when we were arrested at 2 a.m. leaving our eight-year-old daughter. All he could do was to say it was junior officers and the Ombudsman could look after them. This is an extremely pusillanimous response.
"I would point out that, even if everything else he said was right, there was no reason to arrest us. The reason you arrest people in the middle of the night is if there are flight risks. I'm not going to take off and leave the country . . .
"This is completely over the top. It was only when Hugh Orde became Chief Constable and placed his emphasis on human rights policing that this happens. Never before was the door of a newspaper office battered down with a hammer." On the question of a "political arrest", Mr Clarke said: "I don't believe him. He says that about everything, but as far as I can see he's a very political Chief Constable."