This Spying Business

When, in April, the British authorities expelled four Soviet officials with diplomatic status (and an Aeroflot manager), the Soviet diplomatic representation in London was reduced accordingly. In other words, the permitted number of Soviet “diplomats” in London, which had stood at 43, was cut to 39. The Aeroflot man being a member of an “ancillary organization,” the permitted ceiling for “ancillary organizations” was cut from 105 to 104. This very healthy habit of numerical reduction of Soviet representation when spies are uncovered was started in 1971, when Edward Heath was prime minister (one of the few good things he did, perhaps) and Sir Alec Douglas-Home his foreign secretary. That was when the splendid world record of 105 Soviet spies expelled or denied re-entry was set. It still stands.

Faced with massive, unrelenting penetration of KGB and GRU (military intelligence) officers, and with the work of the native-born moles and agents of influence they supervise, most Western governments tend to react rather timidly or, quite often, not at all. Agents, when uncovered, are more often than not expelled in twos or threes. They may be quietly declared “non gratae” and sent home without fanfare.

BC

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Brian Crozier

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When, in April, the British authorities expelled four Soviet officials with diplomatic status (and an Aeroflot manager), the Soviet diplomatic representation in London was reduced accordingly. In other words, the permitted number of Soviet “diplomats” in London, which had stood at 43, was cut to 39. The Aeroflot man being a member of an “ancillary organization,” the permitted ceiling for “ancillary organizations” was cut from 105 to 104. This very healthy habit of numerical reduction of Soviet representation when spies are uncovered was started in 1971, when Edward Heath was prime minister (one of the few good things he did, perhaps) and Sir Alec Douglas-Home his foreign secretary. That was when the splendid world record of 105 Soviet spies expelled or denied re-entry was set. It still stands.

Faced with massive, unrelenting penetration of KGB and GRU (military intelligence) officers, and with the work of the native-born moles and agents of influence they supervise, most Western governments tend to react rather timidly or, quite often, not at all. Agents, when uncovered, are more often than not expelled in twos or threes. They may be quietly declared “non gratae” and sent home without fanfare.