In Soviet Russia Rock Watches You?

[Atheist-Lite]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16614209

UK spied on Russians with fake rock

A former UK government official has admitted Britain was caught spying when Russia exposed its use of a fake rock in Moscow to hide electronic equipment.

Russia made the allegations in January 2006, but this is the first time anyone in the UK has publicly accepted them.

Jonathan Powell, then Prime Minister Tony Blair's chief of staff, told a BBC documentary it was "embarrassing", but "they had us bang to rights".

He added: "Clearly they had known about it for some time."

They had been "saving it up for a political purpose", he said.

The story was first aired on Russian television, which ran a report showing how the rock contained electronic equipment and had been used by British diplomats to receive and transmit information.

(continued)

[Clinton Huxley]

The Movies: Invisible Cars
Reality: A rock with a phone in it.

[Atheist-Lite]

The Movies: Invisible Cars
Reality: A rock with a phone in it.

A Englishman is never caught. This was a distraction so the Russians wouldn't spot the invisible car.

[Horwood Beer-Master]

The Movies: Invisible Cars
Reality: A rock with a phone in it.

Reminds me of 'Scenes we'd like to see' on Mock the Week when they did "unlikely lines in a James Bond movie" (or something like that)

Frankie Boyle: "It's not just a baseball bat Bond, it's a baseball bat with a nail through it"

[klr]

The Russian security service, the FSB, linked the rock with allegations that British security services were making covert payments to pro-democracy and human rights groups.

Well, if that's the worst accusation the Russians can make in terms of motive, I think the British won't be too bothered about this on a political level.

But the spies need to up their game.

[Clinton Huxley]

The Movies: Invisible Cars
Reality: A rock with a phone in it.

Reminds me of 'Scenes we'd like to see' on Mock the Week when they did "unlikely lines in a James Bond movie" (or something like that)

Frankie Boyle: "It's not just a baseball bat Bond, it's a baseball bat with a nail through it"

A baseball bat with a nail in it would have improved Quantum of Solace no end...

[Clinton Huxley]

The Russian security service, the FSB, linked the rock with allegations that British security services were making covert payments to pro-democracy and human rights groups.

Well, if that's the worst accusation the Russians can make in terms of motive, I think the British won't be too bothered about this on a political level.

But the spies need to up their game.

Damned bad show, just what happens when you get professionals involved. Gifted amateurs, that's the ticket. Preferably with titles and 50,000 acres. Unless we pull our fingers out, the Russian bear will be over the passes and menacing the Raj while we're still in our pyjamas.

[klr]

The Russian security service, the FSB, linked the rock with allegations that British security services were making covert payments to pro-democracy and human rights groups.

Well, if that's the worst accusation the Russians can make in terms of motive, I think the British won't be too bothered about this on a political level.

But the spies need to up their game.

Damned bad show, just what happens when you get professionals involved. Gifted amateurs, that's the ticket. Preferably with titles and 50,000 acres. Unless we pull our fingers out, the Russian bear will be over the passes and menacing the Raj while we're still in our pyjamas.

The Russian bear? Over the passes? The Raj? How very 19th century.

And thus completely in character

[Clinton Huxley]

One must avoid having to follow-on when playing the Great Game.