Counter Espionage Precis

The Security Section of the BAAG was originally formed for its own protection against penetration by enemy agents, and to screen the large number of refugees from enemy-occupied territory. As a result of interrogation of refugees ‘S’ section amassed a large amount of information concerning the activities of many people working for the enemy in Hong Kong.

In late 1943 the BAAG formed a separate section to develop Counter Espionage. Intelligence from the Counter Espionage section was not incorporated in KWIZ, but in two weekly publications - ’The BAAG Counter-Espionage Precis’ and ‘Survey of Japanese Intelligence Organisations’.

Part I: Introduction

1. The attached copy of the BAAG Counter Espionage Précis No 1 is another step towards what we hope will lead to yet greater and still closer cooperation between those responsible for the Security and Counter Espionage in the Chinese, American and British forces at present in China.

2. It is our intention to produce at least one edition of this Precis every week. The size will vary and very often it may be necessary to turn out as many as three or four editions during any one week, depending on the necessity for immediate circulation.

3. Our object in producing this Precis is to ensure that the information contained in it should be as widely known as possible by those directly concerned and that the greatest benefit be obtained from the reports of our agents and the results of our investigations by all Allied organizations, into the subversive activities of enemy intelligence agents, saboteurs, fifth columnists and Quislings.

4. It is our intention to include information already in our possession and recorded on our files, as well as new reports as these become available.

5. These reports are of interest and importance from two distinct angles:

a. In order that we may be on our guard and thus be able jointly to frustrate attempts on the part of enemy agents and saboteurs and assist towards their arrest, detention and, where possible their execution.

b. As a documentary record for reference after the war to assist in identifying and disposing of fifth columnists, cooperators, Quislings and traitors.

6. It is inevitable that in some cases the information will be a repetition of information already known to the organizations to whom this report is circulated. But there is always the chance that someone may be unaware of the details of the particular case concerned, and were we to ignore this possibility we should fail to achieve our purpose.

7. While we wish to avoid going into too great a detail, a certain amount is inevitable if we are to acquire a complete picture, and for the satisfactory solution to any puzzle all the pieces are necessary down to the smallest and most apparently unimportant.

8. We cannot always vouch for the complete authenticity of all the information, and in order to avoid any misunderstanding on this score, we propose to grade each report on the following system:

Grading of Information

Reliability of Source

A. Completely reliable source (e.g. Official Document, Highest Grade Observer, etc).

B. High Grade Observer on matter not seen before.

C. Average observer on matter seen before.

D. Average observer on matter not seen before.

E. Unintelligent observer.

Probability of Observation