Tradecraft for managing clandestine contacts... Copyright �1998 Lee Adams. All
rights reserved. Updated September 11th, 1998. NOTE - Spy & CounterSpy does not
endorse, condone, or encourage any illegal act. The material in this article is
presented for information, research, entertainment, and education purposes only.
The words "you" and "your" and "I" and "we" are used in this article for ease of
readability only.
A security service like the FBI can only achieve its objectives by intercepting
communication between people. This means you can beat the security service if
you can deny them the ability to overhear your meetings with your contacts.
What you'll learn here...
This article teaches you how to check for surveillance before you meet with a
clandestine contact. You'll learn a protocol that will beat security services
like the FBI, BATF, DEA, and others. The method is particularly effective
against standard police surveillance. It also works against the so-called
inspection teams of the IRS.
Tradecraft origins. The method described in this article was originally devised
in 1943-1944 by countersurveillance expert Anthony Blunt for Britain's MI.5.
Unfortunately for the British, Blunt was a deep-cover agent for the KGB.
Six years later, Blunt taught the protocol to his new KGB controller, Yuri
Modin. Together they perfected the technique as it is known today. They
successfully thwarted MI.5 surveillance for three years, sometimes even meeting
daily to exchange information and top secret documents. In effect, Blunt was
using his inside knowledge of MI.5's surveillance techniques to beat them at
their own game.
Proliferation. This countersurveillance method has since been adopted by
Israel's Mossad, Germany's BND, Russia's KGB (now the SVR), the American CIA,
and many others. The protocol is taught by intelligence agencies to their
controllers - these are the intelligence officers who manage and meet with deep
cover agents in foreign countries. The method is also being used today by
resistance movements and urban guerrilla groups.
When this countersurveillance protocol is methodically applied, it is extremely
difficult for a security service to breach your security.
Step-by-step instructions...
Here's a hypothetical situation. Assume that you and I wish to meet
clandestinely. We wish to ensure that our meeting is not observed by a
surveillance team.
You and I have previously agreed upon a place, date, and time. In addition, we
are familiar with each other's appearance - we can recognize each other on
sight.
Step 1
You and I independently arrive at the previously agreed-upon general location.
Rather than fixing a specific location, we agree to be only in the general
vicinity. This is an important principle.
This might be a large park, a residential district, etc. The location must be
outdoors and free of video surveillance cameras. It should also be selected with
the intention of thwarting telephoto lenses.
You and I should each know the area well. The location should provide reasonable
cover for each of us being there - strolling in the park, walking through a
residential area to a bus stop, convenience store, etc.
Step 2
You and I will eventually make eye contact at some distance from each other. We
do this discretely, so others are unaware. I use a pre-arranged signal to alert
you that I have spotted you. Perhaps I'll throw my jacket over my shoulder, or
remove and clean my sunglasses, etc. The signal must be a natural movement that
does not attract unwanted attention.
Safety first.Even though you and I have seen each other, we do NOT approach each
other. This is an important safety valve. If either of us has grown a tail we do
not want to compromise the other person.
BACKGROUND - The phrase grown a tail is spy-talk for being under surveillance.
The phrase is somewhat inaccurate, because they don't just follow you, they
often surround you.
Step 3
When you see my signal you simply walk off. Then I follow you in order to ensure
that you're not being watched. I carefully check for the presence of a
floating-box foot surveillance team. I check for agents at fixed observation
posts. I also watch for drive-by support from a floating-box vehicle
surveillance team.
BACKGROUND - In particular, I may follow you, I may walk parallel to you, I may
occasionally walk ahead of you. The goal is simply to be nearby so I'm in a
position to detect surveillance around you. I always remain at a distance from
you, of course, never approaching too closely.
Step 4
When I have satisfied myself that you are clean, I again signal you. Perhaps I
re-tie my shoe laces.
Step 5
Now we reverse roles and this time it is I who simply walks off. You begin to
follow me in order to ensure that I'm not being watched. You check for
floating-box foot surveillance, fixed observation post foot surveillance, and
drive-by support by a vehicle surveillance team.
What to look for.You carefully watch for persons who are pacing me or moving
parallel with me. You check for persons loitering at positions with a good
line-of-sight to my location. You watch for an ongoing pattern of people coming
and going that results in someone always being in a position to monitor me. You
watch for vehicles dropping someone off ahead of me.
Step 6
When you are satisfied that I am clean, you signal me that I'm not being
watched. (On the other hand, if you suspect that a surveillance team is in the
vicinity, you simply abort the operation and walk away.)
BACKGROUND - You must trust your instincts, because if something seems not quite
right it's better to be safe than sorry. Many people are surprised to learn that
it is not difficult to detect a surveillance team watching someone else. This is
the subtle elegance of Blunt's countersurveillance system. And the goons are
helpless against it.
Step 7
You and I can now approach each other and meet. After our discussion we agree
upon the date, time, and location of our next clandestine meeting - as well as
two backup plans in case the meeting is thwarted by surveillance. If we are
unable to meet at the first venue we will use our fallback position and we will
meet at the same time and place one week later. If we are unable to make that
meeting happen, we will shift to a previously agreed-upon failsafe plan and we
will meet at a different location at an agreed-upon date and time.
Neither you nor I writes down the particulars of our next meeting. We commit the
details to memory.
BACKGROUND 1 - If you have any documents to give me, I will not accept those
documents until the final moments of our meeting. I will have already started
making my getaway when I accept the documents. This reduces the chance of
discovery and arrest by a surveillance team that has managed to elude our
countersurveillance protocol. If the security service acts too quickly, they
will have no evidence against me, because the documents have not yet been passed
to me.
BACKGROUND 2 - The best agents never mix discussion and documents. If a document
is to be passed, no discussion occurs. The entire contact takes only a moment -
the perfect brushpass. The principle is simple. It is foolhardy to stand around
holding incriminating documents.
Spook talk...
Spies in North America call this seven-step protocol for countersurveillance
drycleaning. In Europe, it is called parcours de s�curit� - a French phrase
which can be translated as security run or security circuit.
