UK cracks down on private intelligence collaborations with Russia and Iran

The British government has cautioned the country’s growing private intelligence and security sector against collaborating with “enemy states” such as Russia, China, and Iran.

In newly published guidance for security professionals, the UK Home Office warned that such activities could violate national security laws and carry penalties of up to 14 years in prison, as reported by POLITICO.

British security firms have been urged to perform due diligence to ensure their clients are not acting on behalf of foreign powers that threaten the UK’s interests.

In recent years, secretive private intelligence and security companies have become lucrative businesses in the UK. Some have recruited former members of British security services, leveraging their expertise to provide insight and analysis for high-paying clients.

The guidance references assessments by intelligence agencies MI5 and MI6, which identify the primary threats as originating from Russia, Iran, and China.

Foreign states may instruct British security firms to engage in activities such as gathering intelligence on dissidents, obtaining sensitive or protected information (including from academic institutions), and infiltrating supply chains through investments.

The document advises companies to “strongly consider” rejecting work if a potential client’s activities involve a foreign state, insufficiently disclose their identity, or request the collection of sensitive information.

Writing in City Security magazine, Security Minister Dan Jarvis highlighted how security professionals have become “attractive proxies for those who want to harm the UK.”

“Private detectives, private intelligence officers, and close protection officers possess specialized skills, access to information, and proximity to individuals of interest, all of which hostile actors seek to exploit,” Jarvis wrote.

He cautioned that a state’s interference may not always be immediately apparent, as many actors “operate in secret, making it challenging to uncover their intentions or interference.” Jarvis further noted that hostile states often use seemingly benign intermediaries, such as individuals or businesses, to carry out their objectives.

He urged companies to take “all reasonable precautions” to avoid engaging in activities that benefit foreign powers.

Concerns over the private intelligence sector have been growing among British security services. In an October update, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum reported a “remarkable shift,” with Russia and Iran increasingly utilizing private intelligence operatives and criminal networks in the UK.

In 2022, the Mail on Sunday revealed that a prominent figure in the private intelligence sector had been detained at Bristol City Airport amid a crackdown on the industry.

Andrew Wordsworth, a relative of poet William Wordsworth and founder of the private research company Raedas, was questioned by police about alleged links to Russia. Raedas strongly denied any such connections.

Wordsworth described the incident as “disturbing” but expressed support for the government’s initiative. “Unsurprisingly, no prosecution or other action has been taken against me or Raedas,” he said.