The Big Breach - Index of
The Big Breach - Index of
The Big Breach - Index of
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Big</strong> <strong>Breach</strong>; From Top Secret to Maximum SecurityCompliments <strong>of</strong> http://www.192.com`Of course, that is why I got in touch,' I replied, `But I first wantyour word <strong>of</strong> honour that you will not arrest me and that you will notuse surveillance to establish my whereabouts.' Once my base was known,MI6 might ask the Spanish police either to arrest me for talking to theSunday Times, or, worse, to frame me for another crime.`We will not call the Guardia Civil during the negotiations,' promisedMorrison, `but there is no point in entering discussions if there isnot good faith on both sides.' I reluctantly accepted Morrison's vaguepromises - I had striven hard to get this far.Morrison insisted that neither John Wadham nor any other lawyer couldrepresent me. `You know we can't possibly let you have arepresentative,' he said. `It would be gravely prejudicial to nationalsecurity.' It was utter baloney, but there was little option other thanto go along with them. Morrison demanded that the meeting take place inMadrid, to enable him to use the embassy as a base to work from, and<strong>of</strong>fered to pay my expenses from Fuengirola.We met for the first time on Thursday, 14 November 1996, in the HotelAmbassador, a short walk from the embassy. Waiting for them in thelobby with my hand-luggage, I was surprised when Morrison turned upaccompanied by a younger <strong>of</strong>ficer whose face was familiar. `Hello,Richard,' Morrison greeted me cordially. `This is Andy Watts. Iunderstand you've met briefly before. I've brought him along as wethought it would be better for you to have another two minds to bounceideas <strong>of</strong>f.' Round two to MI6 - not content with denying me a lawyer,they had stacked the negotiations further in their favour by bringing atwo-man team.Right from the outset my only request, to be allowed to go to anemployment tribunal, was stubbornly rejected by Morrison and Watts.`You know how prejudicial that would be to national security,' Morrisonlectured.`OK,' I ventured, `You choose the judge at the tribunal, one that youapprove <strong>of</strong> and have vetted. You choose not only your own lawyer butalso mine, so that you can pick one you approve <strong>of</strong> and have positivelyvetted. We hold the tribunal in camera, at a secret location, and Isign a confidentiality agreement binding me not to talk to the pressabout the result.'Morrison shook his head gravely. `You know perfectly well, Richard,that even in those circumstances it would not be secure.' I held myhead in disbelief. How could these people be so obtuse and unreasonableto assert that a hearing held in these circumstances would be lesssecure than having a highly disaffected former <strong>of</strong>ficer on the loose?As I feared, MI6 tailed me on my return journey. I didn't pick up footsurveillance at Madrid airport or on the plane, but leaving Malagaairport, two cars and possibly a third followed me along the autopistato Fuengirola. <strong>The</strong>re was no point in trying to shake them <strong>of</strong>f on themotorway, so I carried on past Fuengirola and pulled <strong>of</strong>f into Marbella.<strong>The</strong> historic centre <strong>of</strong> Marbella is a maze <strong>of</strong> narrow, cobbledpassageways and it was easy to use the speed and manoeuvrability <strong>of</strong> thebike to lose them. I then returned eastwards, along the spectacularpage- 155 - To purchase the original limited edition hardback version <strong>of</strong> this bookplease call 08000 192 192 or go to http://www.192.com