Anyone who leaked information intercepted by the Security Intelligence Agency (SIA) over the past years since its existence will be heavily fined and jailed.

In an effort to protect persons such as President George Maxwell Richards, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley and other persons in society who were being spied upon, a provision of the Interception of Communications Bill was made retroactive so that if any information enters the public domain, charges will be laid.

The amendment was made during the committee stage of the Bill in the Senate after 14 hours of debate. The Bill was finally passed unanimously at 3 a.m. yesterday.

The amendments made were accepted and passed in the Lower House later in the day.

The passage of the Bill through both Houses comes 11 days after Persad-Bissessar exposed in the Parliament that the SIA was illegally intercepting the phone conversations, e-mail and text messages of citizens, including herself.

During the Senate session, it was agreed that clauses in the Bill which lends itself information leaks be made retroactive.

The Bill states that a person who intentionally has in his possession communications intercepted under the Act and who is not authorised to have such information commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for two years.

The Bill also states that a person who intentionally has in his possession communications intercepted under this Act and who is not authorised to have such communications and who discloses such communications commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $250,000 and to imprisonment for three years.

Before the Bill was passed, many of the Senators raised their concerns over the legislation and the operations of the SIA.

Opposition Senator Pennelope Beckles, who was a victim of SIA interception said while she was a target, she does not totally condemn the SIA.

"We must not forget that that landmark case of Dole Chadee, had it not been for wiretapping they would not have been convicted.

She added that the governments of the United States, Britain and Canada have been able to convict many of their own citizens using information collected by interception.

In wrapping up the debate, National Security Minister John Sandy said that never again will illegal interception take place under the whims and fancies of a political leader.