DOUBLE AGENT

A 'double agent' is someone who pretends to spy on a target organization on behalf of a controlling organization, but in fact is loyal to the target organization. Double agents may be agents of the target organization who infiltrate the controlling organization, or may be previously loyal agents of the controlling organization who have been captured and 'turned' by the target; the threat of execution is the most common method of turning a captured agent into a double agent.[1] Compare to defector.
Double agents are often used to transmit disinformation or to identify other agents as part of counter-espionage operations. They are often very trusted by the controlling organization, since the target organization will give them true, but useless, information to pass along.
The term "double agent" is often used in popular media erroneously to refer to someone acting simply as a spy or secret agent. A spy simply relays information from a target to his or her controlling organization.
A 'triple agent' pretends to be a double agent for the target organization, but in fact is working for the controlling organization all along. Usually, he keeps the trust of the target organization by feeding information to them that apparently is very important but is in fact misleading or useless.

Contents

List of actual double agents

Fictional double agents

Events in which double agents played an important role

See also

List of actual double agents

Some people listed here are not true double agents (as defined above), but rather (single) agents working as a mole within an intelligence organization. Some, e.g. Mata Hari, may be wrongfully accused innocents.

★ Aldrich Ames, worked for CIA and sold information to KGB as a mole

★ Robert Hanssen, worked for FBI and sold information to Russia as a mole

★ April Fool

★ George Blake

★ Guy Burgess, worked for MI5 and gave information to the KGB and later defected

★ Mathilde Carré

★ Eddie Chapman (Codename Zig-Zag)

★ Juan Pujol Garcia (Alias ''Garbo'')

★ Oleg Gordievsky

★ Matei Pavel Haiducu

★ Mikel Lejarza

★ Katrina Leung, worked for both China and the FBI

★ Sir Samuel Morland

★ Mutt and Jeff

★ Arthur Owens (Snow)

★ Kim Philby, (Soviet/British) was stripped of his OBE

★ Dusko Popov (Tricycle)

★ Johann Wenzel

★ Richard Willis

★ Mata Hari (A nickname for her real name)

★ Yellow Strom (A nickname for his real name)

★ Denis Donaldson

★ Freddie Scappaticci aka. Stakeknife

★ Olivia Mahfouz aka. Gabrella Montez

★ Andrew Velocci aka. Mandrew

★ Frecks aka. Freckles aka Joseph assenza

★ Yoshira

★ Moe Gaylus

Fictional double agents

The idea of multiple levels of loyalty and deceit is parodied in the Tom Stoppard play ''The Dog it was that Died'', where the agent Rupert Purvis is confused as to whether his ultimate loyalty lies with the British or the Soviets.

★ Lau Kin Ming (劉健明) (''Infernal Affairs'')

★ Chan Wing Yan (陳永仁) (''Infernal Affairs'')

★ Colby Granger (''Numb3rs'')

★ Pete Henderson (''The Cardinal of the Kremlin'')

★ Marian (''Robin Hood (BBC TV series)'')

★ Harry Maybourne (''Stargate SG-1'')

★ Col. Makepeace (''Stargate SG-1'')

★ Col. Frank Simmons (''Stargate SG-1'')

★ Albert Wesker (''Resident Evil'' video game series)

★ Ada Wong (''Resident Evil'' video game series)

★ Jack Bristow (''Alias'')

★ Kabuto Yakushi (''Naruto'') (triple agent)

★ Kingsley Shacklebolt (''the Harry Potter series'')

★ Lauren Reed (''Alias'')

★ Revolver Ocelot (''Metal Gear Solid/'') (triple agent)

★ Roodaka (Bionicle)

★ Sam Fisher ('')

★ Severus Snape (the Harry Potter series) (triple agent)

★ Spider-Woman (''New Avengers'') (triple agent)

★ Sydney Bristow (''Alias'')

★ The Boss ('')

★ Vesper Lynd: Bond Girls, ''Casino Royale''

★ Rose/Thorn ('')

★ Terra (''Teen Titans'')

★ Nina Myers (''24 (TV series)'')

★ Nefertari Vivi (''One Piece'')

★ Alex Krycek (''The X-Files'')

★ Arvin Sloane (''Alias'')

★ Ryoji Kaji (''Neon Genesis Evangelion'') (triple agent)

★ Nasir ('')

★ John Simon (''Demonology 101'')

Events in which double agents played an important role

★ Babington plot

★ Battle of Normandy

★ Stormontgate

★ Cold War

See also

★ Espionage

★ Double Cross System

★ Dangle