Agent of influence

Agent of influence is a term used to describe people whose political actions and arguments are alleged to serve the interests of a foreign power, and to be directed or manipulated by the intelligence agency of that power. The term may be applied to an agent whose task is to spread propaganda or disinformation, ^[1] to an intelligence agency contact who actively and consciously serves a foreign interest or foreign intelligence services on some matters while retaining his integrity on others,^{[citation needed]} or to an unwitting contact that is manipulated to take actions that advanced foreign interests. [1]

Particularly in the case of unwitting contacts, claims that an individual is an agent of influence, manipulated by a foreign power are easy to make in the context of disagreements over foreign policy, and virtually impossible to disprove. For example, it was alleged that UK Prime Minister Harold Wilson was a KGB agent of influence [2].

See also

• Mole (espionage)
• Fellow traveler
• Useful idiot

References

External links

• Interview with Ralph de Toledano
• Van Hook, James C. (2005). "Treasonable Doubt: The Harry Dexter White Spy Case (review)". Studies in Intelligence 49 (1). ISSN 1527-0874. https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/vol49no1/html_files/harry_dexter_8.html. 
• Agents of Influence—from Soviet Active Measures in the "Post-Cold War Era" 1988–1991