Why spy? Why do people become spies, what are their motives, their justifications, and how do they perceive what they are doing? Could any of us do it? Are we all potential spies? Short answer: yes. Long answer: depends on circumstances.
The Sunday Times ran a story about Abdi (a pseudonym), who was recruited in the wake of 9/11 by MI5 to spy on UK-based terrorists. He was subsequently sent by MI6 to penetrate training camps in Waziristan, despite both agencies allegedly being aware that he was mentally unstable. When he returned to the UK he killed his own child, claiming that this was a psychotic episode resulting from the stress of spying. The jury did not believe he was unable to control himself and convicted him of murder.
There’s a difference between being a spy, in the sense of an existence-defining occupation, and being an ordinary person who spies, which is what most spies are
This type of spy is a far cry from the James Bond kind, the tough guy in a dinner jacket who stalks casinos, five-star hotels and resorts.
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