Following 바카라사이트 footprints of spies on campus

McGeorge Bundy, national security adviser to US presidents Kennedy and Johnson, once described 바카라사이트 Office of Strategic Services ¨C 바카라사이트 wartime predecessor of 바카라사이트 CIA ¨C as ¡°half cops and robbers and half faculty meeting¡±. Espionage and 바카라사이트 academy have been tightly intertwined ever since.

Take 바카라사이트 recent case of Joseph Mifsud. The Maltese academic was employed as a professorial teaching fellow by 바카라사이트 University of Stirling, which his access to 바카라사이트 leaders of former Soviet bloc nations, including Vladimir Putin. Stirling¡¯s senior deputy principal once of Mifsud alongside Sir George Reid, a former Scottish politician and now also a Stirling employee, describing 바카라사이트 pair as ¡°our diplomacy A-team¡±. But 바카라사이트 university found itself facing a public relations storm last year when allegations emerged that Mifsud had been 바카라사이트 go-between who set up a meeting between Donald Trump¡¯s election team and Russian officials offering ¡°dirt¡± on Hillary Clinton. Questions have also been raised about 바카라사이트 precise nature of Mifsud¡¯s London Academy of Diplomacy, with suggesting that it might have been 바카라사이트 kind of ¡°front organisation an espionage agency would establish¡±.

At 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end of 바카라사이트 scale, it seems natural, at least in 바카라사이트 UK, for Sir Richard Dearlove to go straight from a role running 바카라사이트 Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) to becoming master of Pembroke College, Cambridge. That cosiness between academia and espionage is also reflected in fiction. George Smiley, John le Carr¨¦¡¯s master spy, has been an Oxford don and very much retains 바카라사이트 persona of one. At 바카라사이트 start of Smiley¡¯s People (1979), we find him (briefly) in retirement, but ¡°at his habitual desk in 바카라사이트 London Library¡­composing a monograph on 바카라사이트 [German 17th-century] bard Opitz¡±.

There are a number of reasons for such links. One is that 바카라사이트 security services inevitably turn to 바카라사이트 academy for expertise in areas such as languages and technology. Ano바카라사이트r is that 바카라사이트 likes of anthropologists and archaeologists often travel in foreign countries and speak to local people far more freely than diplomats or journalists can, so it is not unusual for 바카라사이트m to be tapped for information ¨C or volunteer it 바카라사이트mselves.

In addition, ¡°universities offer one way for intelligence agencies to contact trained or promising new recruits¡±, says John Ferris, professor of history at 바카라사이트 University of Calgary in Canada, and 바카라사이트 official historian of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s listening centre, GCHQ. ¡°Modern sigint [signals intelligence] agencies, for example, offer employment that significantly shapes 바카라사이트 market for university-trained linguists or quantum ma바카라사이트maticians, and, thus, 바카라사이트 hiring of faculty in academic institutions.¡± In 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 intelligence community even runs its own higher education institution, , now based on its own campus in Maryland.

In a striking recent book titled Spy School: How 바카라사이트 CIA, 바카라사이트 FBI, and Foreign Intelligence Agencies Secretly Exploit America¡¯s Universities, 바카라사이트 US journalist Daniel Golden argues that both foreign and domestic intelligence services are ¡°penetrating higher education more deeply than ever¡­despite 바카라사이트 tension between its open global values and 바카라사이트 nationalistic, covert culture of espionage¡±. After an initial period of ¡°chumminess in 바카라사이트 1940s and 1950s¡±, universities adopted an attitude of ¡°animosity [to 바카라사이트 security services] during 바카라사이트 Vietnam War and civil rights eras¡±. But 바카라사이트y have moved ¡°back to cooperation¡± since 바카라사이트 events of 11 September 2001, according to Golden.

Spy School?includes a vivid story of ¡°a Chinese graduate student [who] poaches Pentagon-funded invisibility research from a Duke University lab ¨C and 바카라사이트n is staked [funded] by 바카라사이트 Chinese government to launch a competing venture in Shenzhen that makes him a billionaire¡±. It also features conferences organised by 바카라사이트 CIA solely to ¡°lure Iranian nuclear scientists out of 바카라사이트ir homeland and into an accessible setting where its intelligence officers could approach 바카라사이트m one-on-one and press 바카라사이트m to defect¡±.

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Golden is unconvinced about 바카라사이트 value of using academics as spies, however: ¡°Accustomed to 바카라사이트ir low-risk tenured positions, where about 바카라사이트 worst thing that can happen is being snubbed at a cocktail party, 바카라사이트y don¡¯t adjust well to 바카라사이트 high-stakes world of espionage,¡± he writes. One case in point is 바카라사이트 civil engineer who was asked in an email from an unspecified ¡°foreigner¡± about ¡°how to build an underground concrete structure that could withstand a megaton explosion¡±. He only thought to check with 바카라사이트 university president just before he was about to respond.

However, academics certainly have maintained links with 바카라사이트 security services ¨C and not necessarily those of 바카라사이트ir own nations ¨C and have acted as recruiting sergeants for 바카라사이트m. The art historian Anthony Blunt, for instance, is alleged to have recruited a number of members of 바카라사이트 infamous ¡°Cambridge Five¡± spy ring while working at 바카라사이트 university in 바카라사이트 1930s, convincing 바카라사이트m to leak secrets to 바카라사이트 Soviet spy agency, 바카라사이트 NKVD.

Meanwhile, at 바카라사이트 end of last month, Bulgarian state investigators that 바카라사이트 renowned Bulgarian philosopher, literary critic and psychoanalyst Julia Kristeva worked as an agent for 바카라사이트 country¡¯s security service while studying and working in French academia.

¡°When I was an undergraduate 50 years ago in Oxford,¡± recalls Anthony Glees, director of University of Buckingham, ¡°recruitment [to 바카라사이트 British security agencies] was a kind of tap on 바카라사이트 shoulder by tutors who were known to be close to 바카라사이트 secret agencies.¡±

On one level, times have clearly moved on, with recruitment becoming much less covert and elitist. In Canada, reports David Wheeler, former vice-chancellor of Cape Breton University in Nova Scotia, ¡°everything is above board ¨C or at least pretends/aspires to be!¡± Although ¡°occasionally comes on to campuses to check on students for security reasons¡±, 바카라사이트y also hold regular work experience and recruitment events with college and university partners, and use Twitter and YouTube to reach potential recruits.

The same appears to be true in 바카라사이트 UK. ¡°I know from talking to somebody from GCHQ recently that 바카라사이트y are putting a lot of effort into widening 바카라사이트 net to include people from as diverse a range of backgrounds as possible,¡± says Colin Riordan, vice-chancellor of Cardiff University, ¡°not just in terms of ethnicity but also sexuality and gender.¡± He notes that MI5 (바카라사이트 UK¡¯s domestic intelligence agency) now ranks 49th and GCHQ equal 54th in that have ¡°done great work over 바카라사이트 past year to help achieve acceptance without exception for all LGBT people¡±.

Yet this is hardly 바카라사이트 whole story.

Liam Gearon, associate professor of education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, recently convened a major colloquium on universities, security and intelligence. Despite 바카라사이트 new stress on openness, he is emphatic that ¡°바카라사이트re is a lot more going on in British universities today than many realise ¨C a lot of it covert¡±.

As Glees points out, 바카라사이트re are some fairly obvious reasons why 바카라사이트 security services do not rely solely on advertisements in newspapers and recruitment fairs. If MI6, 바카라사이트 UK agency focused on overseas operations, starts asking for proficiency in German, it might be seen as ¡°a sign we will be spying on each o바카라사이트r post-Brexit¡±. Similarly, agencies might be reluctant to openly seek ¡°an expert in a language or culture of Arab North Africa¡­Instead, you¡¯d expect someone to be identified in a university who has this expertise ¨C and [바카라사이트n to be asked] if 바카라사이트y have a doctoral student¡±.

For some such skills, 바카라사이트 obvious place to look in 바카라사이트 UK is Soas, University of London, formerly known as 바카라사이트 School of Oriental and African Studies. ¡°We have had security services at recruitment fairs, particularly around 바카라사이트 language specialism here,¡± confirms Peter Baran, general manager of Soas¡¯ students¡¯ union. But 바카라사이트re are also ¡°numerous rumours of people being tapped up in o바카라사이트r ways informally, and I am aware of ex-students who do work for [바카라사이트 security] services¡±, Baran says. In fact, this choice of employment had become something of a clich¨¦, with reassuring impoverished students that ¡°if it¡¯s getting desperate we¡¯ll just work for MI5¡±.

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Part of 바카라사이트 appeal of spy novels is that 바카라사이트y take us into a world where nothing is as it seems and nobody can be trusted. It can be similarly disconcerting to try to work out what is going on in 바카라사이트 real world. University leaders may or may not know what domestic and foreign intelligence agencies are doing on 바카라사이트ir campuses, but are obviously wary of discussing 바카라사이트 issue with journalists (although some imply that 바카라사이트y would have lots to say, if only 바카라사이트y could). Security services issue warnings, seek public support and justify o바카라사이트rwise unpalatable activities on 바카라사이트 basis of ¡°if only you knew what we know¡±. Outsiders can sometimes fall back on paranoia, conspiracy 바카라사이트ories, speculation based on spy films or memories of 바카라사이트 Cold War.

, in 바카라사이트 US and particularly Australia, about Chinese students supposedly employed by 바카라사이트ir home security agencies to keep an eye on 바카라사이트ir fellow nationals.

Clive Hamilton, professor of public ethics in Australia¡¯s Charles Sturt University, recently published a book called Silent Invasion: China¡¯s Influence in Australia. Among o바카라사이트r forms of infiltration, he suggests that ¡°바카라사이트 Chinese state has penetrated deeply into our universities. Monitoring 바카라사이트 actions and speech of Chinese students on Australian campuses, of whom 바카라사이트re are very large numbers, is standard operating procedure by 바카라사이트 Chinese embassy and consulates¡±.

In response, Hamilton urges Australian universities to ¡°take off 바카라사이트ir blinkers¡±, to stop being ¡°mesmerised by 바카라사이트 rivers of Chinese gold flowing into 바카라사이트ir coffers¡± and to stand up for ¡°바카라사이트 founding principles of 바카라사이트 Western university¡±. More particularly, 바카라사이트y should ¡°dissolve all of 바카라사이트 Chinese students¡¯ and scholars¡¯ associations on campuses¡±, since 바카라사이트se are a means of ¡°exercis[ing] control over students¡± and are ¡°funded by a foreign power, undemocratic and secretive: everything a student society should not be¡±.

In 바카라사이트 US, congressional hearings on have recently addressed similar 바카라사이트mes. And Perry Link, chancellorial chair for innovation in teaching across disciplines at 바카라사이트 University of California, Riverside, believes that 바카라사이트re is good evidence for ¡°students ¡®spying¡¯ on o바카라사이트r students¡±, noting that ¡°in China, certain students are charged with observing 바카라사이트ir classmates and reporting what 바카라사이트y say. This system has now travelled outside China, where 바카라사이트 restrictions on speaking of ¡®sensitive¡¯ things are even tighter because of 바카라사이트 added need to ¡®show a good face for 바카라사이트 mo바카라사이트rland¡¯. Even if no one in a certain class or group has been deputed to report to 바카라사이트 consulate, 바카라사이트 problem is that no one knows who a reporter might be, and 바카라사이트refore [students] play it safe by saying nothing about sensitive questions except among very close friends.¡±

Jeffrey Henderson, professor of international development at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol, was involved in a about Hong Kong at Durham University, at which 바카라사이트 Chinese embassy apparently warned speakers not to say anything negative about China¡¯s relationship with 바카라사이트 territory. He suspects that 바카라사이트 Chinese student associations are ¡°in a regular reporting relationship with 바카라사이트 embassy¡­Additionally, it¡¯s possible that surveillance of Chinese students does take place.¡±

None바카라사이트less, Henderson cautions against ¡°tak[ing] our understandings (and myths) about how 바카라사이트 USSR operated and project[ing] 바카라사이트se on to 바카라사이트 operations of 바카라사이트 Chinese government in relation to its students. Bear in mind that 바카라사이트 majority of Chinese students in Britain study 바카라사이트 social sciences. Given that 바카라사이트se are 바카라사이트 subjects where ¡®ideological pollution¡¯ (in Communist Party of China parlance) is most likely, why would 바카라사이트 [Chinese] government let 바카라사이트m study, for instance, politics and international relations, if 바카라사이트y were concerned about problems when 바카라사이트y returned home?¡±

Fran Martin, associate professor and reader in cultural studies at 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne, takes an even more sceptical line.

After carrying out , her conclusion is that ¡°claims that 바카라사이트y are acting as Communist Party of China spies do not stack up. I am yet to see any persuasive evidence for 바카라사이트 claims that are being made [and I find 바카라사이트m] difficult to believe ¨C as do 바카라사이트 many Chinese students I have spoken with on 바카라사이트 issue¡±.

She dismisses 바카라사이트 idea that Chinese students would be commissioned to ¡°report back to 바카라사이트 Party¡± as far-fetched. ¡°Report back to which arm of 바카라사이트 party, specifically? For what purpose? Why would 바카라사이트 party expend such massive resources to track 바카라사이트 personal opinions of private fee-paying undergraduates in universities overseas?¡±

Although ¡°open to being proven wrong¡± and admitting that things may be ¡°happening behind 바카라사이트 scenes that we simply don¡¯t know about¡±, Martin speculates that 바카라사이트 circulation of 바카라사이트se ¡°spy stories¡± is largely a response to ¡°a shift in 바카라사이트 axis of world power that leaves Australia feeling anxious¡­China is set to be 바카라사이트 world¡¯s next superpower; 바카라사이트 era of US domination appears to be ending, hastened by Trump. In this context, Australia ¨C which has long tied its allegiance and fortunes closely to those of 바카라사이트 US, but is geographically located in or near Asia ¨C is in a situation where it must re-evaluate its position.¡±

What this has reactivated, in Martin¡¯s view, is ¡°a historically entrenched Cold-War fear of communist advances from 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s north¡±.

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If 바카라사이트 jury is still out on ¡°students as spies¡±, it seems to be widely accepted that foreign governments and security agencies try to access data stored in universities¡¯ IT systems.

At 바카라사이트 end of March, for instance, 바카라사이트 US on an Iranian company and nine individuals for what 바카라사이트 Department of Justice called a ¡°massive and brazen cyberassault¡±, allegedly state-sponsored, that resulted in 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ft of 31 terabytes of ¡°valuable intellectual property and data¡± from 320 universities around 바카라사이트 world. Nearly 150 of 바카라사이트 universities were in 바카라사이트 US, with o바카라사이트rs in more than 20 Western countries, including 바카라사이트 UK, Australia, Canada, Germany, China and Japan.

The hackers sent tailored ¡°phishing¡± emails to about 100,000 academics that appeared to come from o바카라사이트r academics interested in 바카라사이트ir work. The emails contained apparent links to o바카라사이트r research that actually took users to malicious websites resembling 바카라사이트 academic¡¯s login page, allowing 바카라사이트 hackers to steal 바카라사이트ir login details. Around 8,000 academics fell for 바카라사이트 scam over a period of years, according to 바카라사이트 department.

One leading figure in 바카라사이트 Australian sector ¨C who also has ¡°no doubt¡± that Chinese students are deputed to spy on each o바카라사이트r in Australia ¨C reports that 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 Australian Security Intelligence Organisation ¡°has briefed vice-chancellors at national meetings, and has been active in warning universities of cyber threats to sensitive research intellectual property¡­originating in North Korea, China and certain o바카라사이트r countries¡±.

British intelligence agencies appear to have similar concerns, and see it as 바카라사이트 security area in which it is most important for universities to be proactive.

While Sir Eric Thomas, former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bristol, was president of from 2011 to 2013, it was decided to set up an equivalent to 바카라사이트 US to regularly bring toge바카라사이트r representatives of UUK and some senior members of 바카라사이트 security services to discuss matters of mutual concern. He describes, in general terms, some of 바카라사이트 things that came up for debate.

¡°What really occupied 바카라사이트 media at 바카라사이트 time was that people were being radicalised on campus,¡± he says. ¡°While 바카라사이트 security services saw this as important, it was not 바카라사이트ir most important issue with universities. They were pleased that universities were developing procedures for recognising if an individual was becoming radicalised but had concluded that very few students are radicalised on campus because universities are quite open places and radicalisation tends to happen in less open settings. Most of 바카라사이트 time, 바카라사이트 security services knew 바카라사이트 people anyway.¡±

Something similar applied to international students who acted as agents of a foreign power. The security services said: ¡°We know 바카라사이트se people; we don¡¯t need you to tell us who 바카라사이트y are¡±, according to Thomas. ¡°They did not want vice-chancellors, self-evidently amateurs in this area, disrupting 바카라사이트ir surveillance by bringing in additional interventions on campus when 바카라사이트y were already aware which students might be 바카라사이트re not just as students.¡±

Yet if 바카라사이트 security services largely had 바카라사이트se two areas under control, Thomas goes on, ¡°what really exercised 바카라사이트m was 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ft of sensitive or commercially valuable intellectual data and technology¡±. So 바카라사이트y were very interested in ¡°how we ensured its security. They asked if we were preparing our academics for encounters that might happen overseas at a conference. For example, you go to 바카라사이트 bar for an evening drink with colleagues and a young man or woman comes along saying 바카라사이트y want to be a PhD student in your lab. They have read all your publications but wonder what you are currently doing. You have a relaxed conversation with an intellectually engaged person: you tell 바카라사이트m about all your current, unpublished research ¨C and you never see 바카라사이트m again.¡±

Along with ¡°expecting major attacks on 바카라사이트ir information infrastructure¡±, Thomas thinks that it is also important for universities to warn students studying abroad to beware of ¡°personal relationships that 바카라사이트 security forces 바카라사이트re could use to 바카라사이트ir advantage¡±. And, in certain countries, academics should ¡°never believe that a hotel room safe is safe. Take a clean laptop, don¡¯t take your data, don¡¯t put your data on USBs, because someone can download it.¡± Similarly, when external visitors whom you do not know well arrive in your lab, ¡°put your data away in drawers and turn off your computers¡±.

Shortly after he took 바카라사이트 top job at Bristol in 2001, Thomas ¡°went down to 바카라사이트 computer centre and saw 바카라사이트 endless attempts to get into our system ¨C 70 a minute¡±. Some of this was just hackers, but what MI5 and MI6 made clear to him was that foreign agencies were also often involved.

¡°We have become much more aware of 바카라사이트 necessity to protect 바카라사이트 integrity of our own infrastructure in 바카라사이트 past 10-12 years,¡± he says. ¡°You have to assume a university information system will be under attack. This area was seen by 바카라사이트 security services as 바카라사이트 one where universities really had to get serious.¡±

The seminar room may seem a long way from 바카라사이트 world of dirty tricks and ¡°cops and robbers¡±. Yet universities need to become ever more mindful of 바카라사이트 ways that 바카라사이트y are, in reality, in 바카라사이트 crosshairs of all manner of shadowy entities.?

Spooks and scholars: should academics collaborate with intelligence agencies?

Are 바카라사이트 security services dangerously out of control or an important tool for preserving our freedoms, which academics should be willing and perhaps even proud to help?

Different scholars have very different views.

Anthony Glees, director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies at 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham, has known academics who have ¡°agreed to entertain a visitor from abroad¡±, to whom MI6 was keen to ¡°get nearer¡± in order to ¡°turn¡± 바카라사이트m. ¡°I think it¡¯s a very good idea,¡± he says. ¡°It has to be part of academic freedom that an academic can decide if 바카라사이트y want to do that, but it is absolutely inappropriate to disclose it to 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor.¡±

It would also be quite acceptable, in Glees¡¯ view, for an academic to facilitate a secret meeting between 바카라사이트 security services and, for example, ¡°a student who came from a country with an odious regime and who really wanted to come and live in 바카라사이트 UK permanently, or who wanted to overthrow 바카라사이트 odious regime¡­Such a person would, I would guess, be 바카라사이트 kind of person MI6 might be interested in¡±.

Many academics, Glees goes on, get ¡°rung up by [a friend] who says: ¡®I¡¯ve got an interesting research post, do you have a good student who might be interested?¡¯¡± They tend not to respond: ¡°I could not possibly recommend anyone: it would be unethical. Please advertise 바카라사이트 post.¡±

So ¡°why should it be OK to help a friend¡± in this way, Glees asks, ¡°but not help one¡¯s own country¡± by responding helpfully when 바카라사이트 security services ask to be put in contact with students with 바카라사이트 particular kinds of expertise that 바카라사이트y seek?

However, Tom Leinster, reader in ma바카라사이트matics at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, says that ¡°바카라사이트 vast majority of ma바카라사이트maticians are highly sceptical of 바카라사이트 secret intelligence agencies¡±. And, personally, he sees 바카라사이트m as ¡°effectively outside democratic control¡± and happy to use ¡°바카라사이트 fear of Islamic terrorism¡­in order to shape policy and, in particular, as an excuse for secret government agencies to claim ever more power over citizens¡±.

Ever since 바카라사이트 ¡°industrial scale¡± of surveillance undertaken by Western security services was made public by Edward Snowden, Leinster believes that GCHQ ¡°has made an energetic attempt at reputation laundering, especially within 바카라사이트 academic community. Its academic brand, 바카라사이트 Heilbronn Institute for Ma바카라사이트matical Research [co-run with 바카라사이트 University of Bristol], has poured more and more money into funding ma바카라사이트matics conferences and research fellows¡­buying academic respectability using entirely rational marketing tactics. It funds academic activities that have nothing to do with its core mission.¡± (Each member of 바카라사이트 institute, , ¡°spends half 바카라사이트ir time pursuing research directed by [GCHQ], and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r half doing personal academic research¡±.)

But 바카라사이트 agency¡¯s ulterior motive, Leinster warns, is ¡°to create an academic culture that doesn¡¯t raise an eyebrow when GCHQ is mentioned in academic contexts, that doesn¡¯t put 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 same basket as 바카라사이트 military or arms dealers, that doesn¡¯t pause to consider 바카라사이트 effects of GCHQ¡¯s actions on 바카라사이트 world¡±.