intSERDRSESCHAP 10

SECRET INTELLIGENCE

 Two chief purposes of secret intelligence activity abroad are tob provide governments with
valuable information unobtainable from open sources and covertly to weaken or eliminate
their foreign enemies.
 The association of secret intelligence with diplomacy is as old as diplomapcy itself because
diplomats planted at the heart of power centres.

Service attaches

 Service attaches are well placed to gather military intelligence is that it is customary fo them
to be closely involved in defence collaboration.
 Service attaches sometimes thought to take too many liberties , besides there are always
states , notably those reckless of international stability
 Introduction of service attaches might have relieved diplomats of respobility for the
gathering of military intelligence.
 Acknowledgement by the VCDR has institutionalized and regulated the gathering of military
intelligence by embassies.

Intelligence officer

 Intelligence officers are employees of cicilian foreign intelligence agencies or one or other of
the branches or armed forces intelligence.
 Intelligence officers are to be found alomgside service attaches in embassies but some are
illegals or operatives with non-official cover.
 Its officers were typically disguised in a variety of lowly positions , among them assistant
commercial secretary,press attache and vice-consul.
 Have routine social as well as official contact with well placed person who might prove
useful , either as sources themselves
 Availability of intelligence officers to an embassy , together with the prospect of asylum it
provides , both attracts and expedites the handling of defectors and others.