Big News Network.com Tuesday 24th February, 2015
LONDON - British spy agency MI6 wanted to recruit a North Korean asset with the help of South Africa to collect top-secret information on the secretive communist country's nuclear programme, according to a series of leaked diplomatic cables.
The spy agency offered a potential asset a "long term clandestine relationship in return for payment" but never heard back from him after a first meeting to discuss the possibility of working for MI6 also known as Secret Intelligence Service (SIS).
A cable marked "Secret UK/SA eyes only", obtained by Al Jazeera, shows that MI6 requested assistance from South Africa's State Security Agency (SSA) to carry out "a joint operation". The cable is part of hundreds of secret communications that offer a glimpse into the world of espionage, focusing on human intelligence. The documents were leaked to the media, including Al Jazeera and Guardian.
The British cable wrote to South Africa for a help. "We request your support to assist our officer", the cable said.
It said that the potential spy "could greatly assist our ongoing efforts to gain coverage of North Korean proliferation activity worldwide".
According to the documents related to the operation, the spy agency even attempted to win over the North Korean man to the idea of spying for Britain.
Unidentified MI6 officers even spoken to him and the potential recruit said he would give the opportunity some thought. He even told MI6 officers that he "would be happy to meet the officer again under secure circumstances".
He was also given "a secure telephone number" which the North Korean man could use to contact the British agency when he had decided whether to spy on his government.
"But a year has passed without us hearing" from him, which led the intelligence services to request South African assistance when they learnt he would be travelling through South Africa.
The British agency also requested that the South Africans keep a look out to ensure the MI6 officer and the North Korean target were "not interrupted by any of his colleagues".
"The involvement of South Africa's authorities would not be apparent to the target - our officer would appear to be acting alone".
Al Jazeera claimed that MI6 provided the North Korean target's identity. But the news network said it is concealing for his own safety his identity, a full job description, career history and detailed travel plans, including flight numbers.
However, it was not clear from the documents when the British request for assistance was made, although the cables detail the period from 2006 to 2014.
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