Private intelligence companies: Post-modern spying

Information is essential and of great importance for those, who well use it, to maximize gains. For this reason, official intelligence agencies were established and played key role in the 20^th century, which witnessed dozens of wars, including two world wars.

As of the 21^st century, things have changed dramatically due to an IT revolution. The intelligence operations have also changed. In the past, countries relied on the traditional intelligence agencies to ward off any potential threats – internal or external, conventional or unconventional.

With fast-advancing technological progress, complicated political situation, world and regional tension, major companies drew on private firms for collecting and analyzing data. Some countries have signed deals with private intelligence companies.

The US Defense signed a deal with Six3 Intelligence Solutions, a subsidiary of CACI International Inc, for operations in Syria.

Sean McFate—a professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, the author of Shadow War, told The Daily Beast newspaper: "This is no ordinary contractor… Six3 Intelligence Solutions is a private intelligence company, and the fact that we outsource a good portion of our intelligence analysis creates a strategic dependency on the private sector to perform vital wartime operations".

Six3 is a leading firm for security, defense and intelligence consulting services in the US. The objective is to provide the US troops in Syria with intelligence information.

1.     Nature & organization

The private intelligence companies relied on former intelligence agents who worked for official intelligence agencies. These former agents helped the private intelligence firms build up semi-official intelligence organizations.

It developed a qualitative system away from bureaucracy prevailing in official intelligence agencies.

These firms also banked on state-of-the-art technological tools and untraditional methods for collecting data and information, thus these firms outperformed official spy agencies over the past 10 years.

2.     Multiple roles

The private intelligence firms play a number of roles in addition to the collecting of data, they analyze information, provide security consulting and protection as follows:

- Information collecting and consulting

The primary function is to collect, analyze information and provide security consulting; whether the information is of economic, security, political or commercial nature. These services are provided to stakeholders whether states, corporations or individuals.

The intelligence firms have become influential in decision-making for states and leading corporations.

- Providing international organizations with special information

The private intelligence firms played a key role in providing information about security and political problems of some countries to international organizations like the UN Security Council and human rights organizations.

For example, the Security Council hired Kroll Associates to supervise sanctions imposed on Angola. The private intelligence firms are also hired to investigate political and human rights issues.

The Human Rights Council in its 15^th session (Agenda item 3) requested from member countries on July 5, 2010, in a report titled "Promotion and Protection of All Human Rights, Civil, Political, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Including the Right to Development" proposals on the adoption of a new legal instrument on private military and security companies, its scope of application and its content.  

- Indirect negotiations with some parties

The role has extended to holding negotiations with some terrorist groups or gangs to release hostages or reach a truce or a settlement. Mediation has become a key role played by private intelligence firms for the past 7 years.

Qatar hired an Israeli security firm, linked to the Mossad, to collect information about Qatari nationals kidnapped in Iraq. This company played an essential role in reaching the group that kidnapped them, as well as mediation.

The Washington Post reported in April that Doha paid $250 million to free nine members of the Qatari royal family and 16 Qatari nationals. The payments included at least $150 million in cash to intermediaries.

-         Illegal assignments

Some states, companies and individuals hire intelligence firms for special assignments such as piracy or assassinations. On July 24, 2015, Al-Arab newspaper revealed that some unnamed Iraqi sources claimed that private intelligence firms assist the Iraqi troops in fighting terrorists.

-         Protection

The private intelligence firms also provide protections and security services. For example, Diligence provides information about the market and competitors as well as protecting their clients' financial transactions.

On October 27, 2011, Al-Fagr Arabic newspaper reported that Diligence offers protection of financial transactions.

3.     Growing, dangerous role

The private intelligence firms have boomed for the following reasons:

1-    Easy collection of information

Flexibility of agents hired by private intelligence firms makes it easier to collect information.

2-    Non-commitment to laws

Official intelligence agencies are committed to the political decision-making of the state. The private intelligence firms are driven by profit/loss factors. This gives the private firms a wide scope to collect information.

3-    Recruitment of former intelligence agents

 The private intelligence firms offer attractive salaries and bonuses, prompting many intelligence officers at official agencies to resign.

Former intelligence officers may get double wages and bonuses.

Fred Halliday said in his book 100 Myths about the Middle East that the CIA hires private intelligence firms, which employ former intelligence agents, hiring top officers for collecting and analyzing information.

The private intelligence companies hire high qualified officers from all around the world, outpacing the official agencies of countries.

4.     Potential risks & threats

The private intelligence firms face a number of challenges and risks as terrorist and criminal groups may hack them. These companies might sell information to whoever would pay more. This poses a threat to national security of countries and the whole world.

5. Confrontation

There are a number of measures countries can apply to confront growing dangers of intelligence firms as follows:

-         Boosting the effectiveness of national information agencies as a buffer against private intelligence companies.

-         Exposing the dangers of such intelligence firms on the international scene.

-         More international and regional intelligence cooperation for protection from these companies.