Uk firm denies bugging embassy

British security firm Surveillance Group Ltd has denied bugging the Ecuadorian Embassy in London.

Ecuadorian foreign minister Ricardo Patino had earlier said he had "reason to believe that the bugging was being carried out by the company, the Surveillance Group Limited... one of the biggest private investigation and undercover surveillance companies in the United Kingdom."

Ecuador's foreign minister Ricardo Patino has said he believes a British surveillance firm was involved in allegedly planting a secret listening device at the nation's embassy in London.

He told a news conference in Quito that he will request the "collaboration of the British government" on the issue:

Wikileaks has tweeted a picture purporting to show the bug that was reportedly found in Ecuador's embassy in London.

Read: 'Bug' found in Ecuadorian Embassy

Ecuador's ambassador to the UK, Ana Alban, has told ITV News the microphone allegedly found inside her embassy is going to be sent away to be tested.

She said: "We found something, but we don't know what it is, and we are sending it to someone...I don't know how long it has been there."

Read: Ecuador to release details of 'bug planter'

Ecuador's ambassador to the UK, Ana Alban, has told ITV News she had "nothing to say" about the allegations made by her foreign minister that the London embassy was bugged with a hidden microphone:

Read: 'Hidden microphone' found in Ecuadorian Embassy

WikiLeaks have tweeted their distaste at the detention of Bolivia's president Morales in Vienna and the alleged discovery of a bug in the embassy of Ecuador.

Ecuador's foreign minister Ricardo Patino said they will release information on who planted the bug inside their embassy in London.

Read: 'Hidden microphone' found in Ecuadorian Embassy

Patino said the device was used to collect "all kinds" of information from the office and was discovered before his visit to Assange, who has been staying in the embassy for more than a year. In a press conference in Quito, he said:

"We found that the device was used to collect all kinds of information in our embassy office. I didn't make it public at that time for we didn't want to affect the visit.

But we immediately conducted an investigation to find the source and I will release our result at tomorrow's press conference including the source of the device, who was using it and which department installed it."

Ricardo added that he hopes relevant countries or organizations could offer a reasonable explanation for the hidden listening device.

A hidden microphone has been found in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, the country's foreign minister said.

It was found in the office of the ambassador Ana Alban during a routine search ahead of his visit to London on June 16, AFP reported.

Ricardo Patino, the Ecuadorian foreign minister, said: "We are sorry to inform you that we have found a hidden microphone in our embassy in London."