Double agent
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the Splinter Cell video game, see Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent
A double agent pretends to spy on a target organization on behalf of a controlling organization, but in fact is loyal to the target organization. Double agents may be agents of the target organization who infiltrate the controlling organization, or may be previously loyal agents of the controlling organization who have been captured and turned by the target; the threat of execution is the most common method of turning a captured agent into a double agent.[1] Compare to defector.
Double agents are often used to transmit disinformation or to identify other agents as part of counter-espionage operations. They are often very trusted by the controlling organization, since the target organization will give them true, but useless, information to pass along.
The term "double agent" is often used in popular media erroneously to refer to someone acting simply as a spy or secret agent. A spy simply relays information from a target to his or her controlling organization.
A triple agent pretends to be a double agent for the target organization, but in fact is working for the controlling organization all along. Usually, he keeps the trust of the target organization by feeding information to them that apparently is very important but is in fact misleading or useless.
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[edit] List of actual double agents
Some people listed here are not true double agents (as defined above), but rather (single) agents working as a mole within an intelligence organization.
- Aldrich Ames, worked for CIA and sold information to KGB as a mole
- Robert Hanssen, worked for FBI and sold information to Russia as a mole
- April Fool
- George Blake
- Guy Burgess, worked for MI5 and gave information to the KGB and later defected
- Mathilde Carré
- Eddie Chapman (Codename Zig-Zag)
- Juan Pujol Garcia (Alias Garbo)
- Oleg Gordievsky
- Matei Pavel Haiducu
- Mikel Lejarza
- Katrina Leung, worked for both China and the FBI
- Sir Samuel Morland
- Mutt and Jeff
- Arthur Owens (Snow)
- Kim Philby (Soviet/British)
- Dusko Popov (Tricycle)
- Johann Wenzel
- Richard Willis
- Mata Hari (A nickname for her real name)
- Yellow Strom (A nickname for his real name)
- Denis Donaldson
- Freddie Scappaticci aka. Stakeknife
- Olivia Mahfouz aka. Gabrella Montez
- Andrew Velocci aka. Mandrew
- Frecks aka. Freckles aka Joseph assenza
- Yoshira (Yi Sunsin#Japanese double agent plot)
[edit] Fictional double agents
- Harry Maybourne (Stargate SG-1)
- Col. Makepeace (Stargate SG-1)
- Col. Frank Simmons (Stargate SG-1)
- Albert Wesker (Resident Evil video game series)
- Ada Wong (Resident Evil video game series)
- Jack Bristow (Alias)
- Kabuto Yakushi (Naruto)
- Lauren Reed (Alias)
- Revolver Ocelot (Metal Gear Solid/Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (triple agent)
- Roodaka (Bionicle)
- Sam Fisher (Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent)
- Severus Snape (the Harry Potter -series) (Triple agent but true allegiance still a matter of speculation)
- Sydney Bristow (Alias)
- The Boss (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)
- Vesper Lynd: Bond Girls, Casino Royale
- Rose/Thorn (American Dragon: Jake Long)
- Terra (Teen Titans)
- Nina Myers (24 (TV series))
- Nefertari Vivi (One Piece)
- Alex Krycek (The X-Files)
- Arvin Sloane (Alias)
