Spycraft 101

Does anyone know any CIA or spy "tricks of the trade?"

I have been looking around the web but cannot seem to find any site dedicated to this.

Any book suggestions would be appreciated too!

Check your near by towns for resell book stores. I've gotten many good "alternative information" books for like $1 to $3 from those places.

I got one right now called ,

The FBI
A comprehensive reference guide

It cost me $1 (retail $21.95).

It's a total white wash of the FBI and tows the government line but it's still good "reference material".

Also, checkout "Behold a Pale Horse".

Thanks for the info Noobie. I will definitely check that book out.
The things I was looking for were something not mainstream. I have read a few memoires of CIA guys like "Spy Dust" but these kind of books are sanitized before they reach us.

Anybody else have any info?

Well you are not going to find any books of operative Spy Craft simply because those methods are, in general, classified and thus all employees versed in them are subject to review of all published documents regarding their work for any intelligence agency. At least in the U.S.

Here are a few really great books though that should peak your interest that you might not have heard of. They contain a fair amount of Spy Craft, whether it is in use now or not is up to anyones guess; still interesting information.

Spy Catcher Peter Wright (I am told by a friend from Luxembourg that this book is virtually impossible to find in the U.K. or Continental Europe because of everything that was written within, she nearly fell over when she saw it on my bookshelf.)

The Master of Disguise "My Secret Life in the CIA" Antonio J. Mendez

Body of Secrets "Anatomy of the Ultra-Secret National Security Agency" James Bamford

Inside the CIA Ronald Kessler (Not the best work, but decent enough)

Those are a few off the top of my head to get you started.

Thanks Baphomet. I wil definitely check these out.

Spycraft manual, but I haven't seen it, and the reviews look mixed

www.amazon.com...=pd_bbs_1/002-7211948-4379219?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174780484&sr=8 -1

Cryptonomicon is a good book

en.wikipedia.org...

Digital Fortress is also a good read, although its just a novel

en.wikipedia.org...



Here's an article about a book exposing some tactics

news.bbc.co.uk...

Good luck getting a copy, looks like they are going on amazon for $186

www.amazon.com...


I take that back, check other sites, because on amazon uk its £6.59

www.amazon.co.uk...

Here's a free ebook "CIA book of dirty tricks"

www.ohrep.com...

So many books you can't read them all just check out some of these search results

www.amazon.com...=nb_ss_gw/002-7211948-4379219?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=espionage&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go

www.amazon.com...=nb_ss_gw/002-7211948-4379219?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=CIA&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go

www.amazon.com...=nb_ss_gw/002-7211948-4379219?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=NSA&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go

www.amazon.com...=nb_ss_gw/002-7211948-4379219?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=MI6&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go

www.amazon.com...=nb_ss_gw/002-7211948-4379219?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mossad&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go


One more that looks good

www.amazon.com...=pd_sim_b_1/002-7211948-4379219?ie=UTF8&qid=1174780484&sr=8-10

[edit on 24-3-2007 by warpboost]

Originally posted by scooler1
Does anyone know any CIA or spy "tricks of the trade?"

Fund and train volitile orginasitions to see what happens?!?!

(tried not to post oneliner - honest)

[edit on 24/3/2007 by Now_Then]

Tradecraft. Not spycraft. Google tradecraft.

In my experience, every spy novel will teach you one bit of tradecraft. Takes a lifetime to learn a little. It's mostly about not getting caught, and communicating without a direct connection.

Wow, thanks for all the great info. I will be sure to check out all these links and books.