Relicense to kill
007s can strike foes in ‘friendly’ nations
BRITAIN’S 007s have had their licences to kill renewed after a gap of nearly 60 years.
A minister has revealed real James Bonds can now eliminate enemies in countries other than war zones.
Defence minister Annabel Goldie was asked if UK agents target foes “located in non-belligerent states”.
She replied: “The Government may draw on wide a range of tools including lethal force where there is no other effective option.”
Bond, currently played by Daniel Craig, has seen off hundreds of adversaries. But real MI6 agents can only use such licences under the 1994 Intelligence Services Act and need authorisation that protects them from murder charges. Espionage expert Nigel West said the issue was linked to legal problems after British passport- holding jihadis identified by MI5 and MI6 were killed in US drone strikes in Pakistan.
The last time MI6 is known to have assassinated anyone directly was in Iran way back in 1961.
The MoD said Britain had a right to defend itself and all its operations complied with international law.