MI5 ‘tried to lure informant with free luxury spa day worth £200’

Alleged attempt to recruit innocent Muslim woman classed as ‘harassment’ by advocacy campaign group

IT IS just what every potential MI5 informant must want: a £200 spa voucher. The intelligence agency has been accused of trying to entice a woman, identified only as “Faiza”, to spy on a group of possible terror suspects by giving her a coupon.

MI5’s methods to recruit agents – known as Covert Human Intelligence Sources – were made public by Cage, a controversial advocacy organisation whose research director once described the Islamic State executioner Jihadi John as a “beautiful young man”.

Cage released a video on a social media channel revealing what it claims is an approach made to Faiza by MI5.

The security service is entitled to pay informants and use whatever means to encourage them to be recruited.

But for the first time, the use of a day out at a spa has come to light. The £200 voucher can be used for “spa break experiences”, treatments, a meal in the restaurant or products in the shop.

Instead of agreeing to the deal, the woman contacted Cage, based in London, which began as a campaign group for Islamist suspects held in Guantanamo Bay in the wake of 9/11.

The video released by Cage does not indicate why the woman was approached by MI5, but she may have been an acquaintance, friend or relative of someone who has come to the attention of the spy agency. The security service closely guards its “tradecraft”, including its targeting methodology in contacting possible agents. According to Cage, Faiza was sent a an unmarked and unstamped package via a courier. Inside the package was a standard mobile phone, a phone charger and the £200 gift voucher.

Cage said when she opened the box, the phone rang and a person identifying themselves as an MI5 officer said they wished to talk to her about “certain issues”. Cage said the approach MI5 allegedly took left the woman feeling “vulnerable and paranoid”, and constituted “clear harassment” towards her.

MI5 is likely to dispute that such an approach, should it have been made, would be harassment.

The publication of the video has triggered fears among some security experts that MI5’s ability to recruit agents might be compromised.

Dr Alan Mendoza, the executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, a think tank that reports on counter-terrorism, said: “MI5’s ability to generate human intelligence sources within the jihadist world is essential to preventing terrorist atrocities.

“Cage’s decision to publish highly sensitive details of how the security services go about agent recruitment could not be more irresponsible.”

Anas Mustapha, Cage’s head of public advocacy, said: “This case illustrates the shocking lengths MI5 operatives stoop to in order to harass law abiding and innocent Muslims. Harassed individuals have no recourse to justice as MI5 operates with near absolute impunity.”

Cage attracted condemnation when Asim Qureshi, its research director, said Mohammed Emwazi, the real identity of Jihadi John, was an “extremely gentle, kind” and “beautiful young man”.

The claim, which caused huge upset, was broadcast live at a press conference in 2015 after Emwazi had been unmasked as the executioner who had beheaded Western hostages in Syria.

Critics labelled the group as “apologists for terror” as a consequence. Emwazi had been in prior contact with Cage. The organisation subsequently admitted the press conference had been a mistake.

‘Harassed individuals have no recourse to justice as MI5 operates with near absolute impunity’