Family rejects claims that aid worker was MI6 spy
THE family of an aid worker who died in a botched rescue after being captured by the Taliban have described claims she was working for MI6 as “ludicrous and hurtful”.
Allegations that Linda Norgrove worked for the secret service have been published by American investigative journalism website The Intercept.
The article focuses on the activities of US Navy unit SEAL Team 6, whuch is famous for killing al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
The elite special forces team carried out the failed attempt to rescue Ms Norgrove in 2010 after she was captured along with three Afghan colleagues.
Ms Norgrove worked for the American NGO Development Alternatives Incorporated.
The article claims four US military and intelligence sources confirmed Ms Norgrove’s MI6 link.
It said information about her alleged relationship with MI6 emerged during the planning of the rescue mission, when the UK Government informed the US they knew her whereabouts.
The article adds the reason her location was known was she was being tracked due to her involvement with the intelligence services.
The claims have been picked up and reported by the Kremlin-backed RT news channel – formerly known as Russia Today– on its English language website.
A Wikipedia profile on Ms Norgrove was also amended a few days ago to state she was a “British aid worker and British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS/ MI6) agent”.
The Foreign Office said it could not confirm or deny the claims.
However, her family said the claims are “ridiculous”.
In a statement, Ms Norgrove’s parents, John and Lorna, who live on the Isle of Lewis, said: “The people who have fabricated this story did not know Linda.
“We were close to her and kept in touch every week by Skype throughout the life she had working in third world countries.
“Linda was passionately against war, disliked the military and mostly sided with Afghans rather than Western governments.
“She loved her work, tirelessly striving to improve the lives of others by supporting projects that improved their environment.
“She was principled, would not compromise on her views and the suggestion she was working for MI6 is both ludicrous and hurtful.”