London, Feb.6 : The Gordon Brown Government has reportedly cleared a proposal that will allow intelligence outfits -- MI5 and MI6 to tap phones of suspect terrorists and present them as evidence in a court.

The historic change is significant in that Britain and Ireland are currently the only nations that do not allow wire-taps to be used in this way.

According to The Sun, Brown will accept the findings of a review of intercept evidence he ordered last year.

This hugely controversial step has been strongly opposed by security chiefs.

They have warned that once phone tap evidence is allowed, terrorists will be able to work out how it was obtained, and will then be able to devise new methods of communicating.

Shadow Home Secretary David Davis backed the plan, saying: "This sounds like a breakthrough.

Former Labour Home Secretary David Blunkett warned of "major challenges" and said intercept evidence was not a substitute for pre-charge detention.

ANI