With spying in the news I thought I’d post some historical spying for comparison.

From BBC News:
MI5 confused by Orwell’s politics
“A Scotland Yard Special Branch report in January 1942 said the author of 1984 had “advanced communist views”.

However, an MI5 officer responded that Orwell “does not hold with the Communist Party nor they with him”.

(snip)

“He dresses in a bohemian fashion both at his office and in his leisure hours.”

(snip)

“In other records, it is revealed that a 1945 edition of The Naturist magazine was examined by MI5 for “hidden writing”, which would have been shown up by a solution of soda and water.

Norwegian spy Hans Larsen was interrogated by the British, also at Latchmere House, in May 1945.

A copy of the magazine he had in his possession was tested for the writing among the pages of naked women and articles titled Naturism in the United States and All the Year Round Natural Fitness.”

I’m particularly amused by Orwell’s “bohemian fashion”.

So the MI5 were pouring over naked pictures of women for hidden messages? I doubt that.

Posted by Vixen in Musings