Espionage is the practice of
spying on others (whether
states or other entities) to gain information for
economic,
political or
military advantage. Most
nations routinely spy on their enemies, and
allies, although they generally deny this. Espionage conducted for
commercial purposes is
industrial espionage.
Black's Law Dictionary (
1990) defines espionage as: "...gathering, transmitting, or losing...[information related to the
national defense]." Espionage, by a citizen of the target state, is generally considered to be a form of
treason.
The cold war involved intense espionage activity between the United States of America and its allies and the Soviet Union and China and their allies, particulary related to nuclear weapons secrets.
Recently, espionage agencies have targeted the illegal drugs industry and terrorists.
See: Cold War espionage
- See also Intelligence agencies and Special Operations Executive
- TEMPEST - Protection devices for communication equipment.
The Whole Spy Page:
http://come.to/wholespy
- See also: Secret agent, Spy fiction, numbers station
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