Michael  Shrimpton:Conspiracy Theorist or Harbinger?
'Spyhunter' (The Secret History of German Intelligence) by Michael Shrimpton, 2014
A draft of one of the most controversial intelligence books recently written popped through my mailbox several months ago.   It was from an old colleague, Michael Shrimpton.  Some will argue that it is not an intelligence book at all but a jumbled collection of conspiracy theories woven into faction.
Spyhunter is essentially about a fabled German spy network which was never dismantled after World War II, the DVD.   If I am to be really precise, we first talked about this book 3 years ago and, with Michael's agreement, I pulled a review just before it went to print.   What I don't want to do is to fall either into the conspiracist nor into the 'Whodunnit?' trap.  Conspiracists will agree with Michael's analysis - as it fits several other patterns they have already revealed.   The problem here is, just because you don't agree with conspiracists that doesn't mean that there is absolutely no truth in everything they allege (!)
Edward Heath,British Prime Minister

Firstly, Ted Heath made a lot of enemies when he took Britain into Europe.   Many in the Tory Party believed he had 'sold out' and this was unforgivable.  Indeed the argument about Europe and Britain's place in it rages on today within the rank and file membership so it continues to remain a highly divisive issue.

Gay Politicians and Statesmen -When It Was Illegal To be Gay
We know that several world statesmen are Gay, but this does not mean that they are child molesters or murderers - which Michael alleges of one in his book. The problem here is that you can say anything about anybody - if they are dead - they have no comeback!
Chairman Mao and Paedophile Rings
Secondly we know that Chairman Mao used paedophile rings, gays and lesbians to blackmail political opponents - but so too did (do) many other intelligence agencies I can think of throughout the world.
The Cambridge Soviet Spies & The DVD
Cambridge is again dug up as a nest of Gay recruits to MI6 - but I have been reading about this since at least 10 years before the time I knew Anthony Verrier (Through The Looking Glass,1983) - we both served on the Editorial Board of The European Review.   So again, what's new Michael? Anthony Verrier's contacts were highly reliable and none were 'cookies'.  Sadly in this area, when individuals think you have a contact source in intelligence, a lot of fruitcakes want to either attach you to fruit and nut causes - or rope you in as a committee member.  I recently had to extract myself from one such situation (where a 'tutti frutti' -  nutcase/mentally unbalanced individual - had ensconced on a committee with the sole purpose of compromising me) and that took almost one year!  So this matter of the reliability of sources is of utmost importance where 'smoke and mirrors' are involved.
Princess Diana - Murder or a Tragic Accident?
Michael's revelations about the death of Princess Diana are likewise controversial - but again, other than blaming the DVD, there is little new information here.   Of course if you are German, you will most likely be either incensed or indeed delighted to know that almost everything in the world for the past 1300 years, indeed even the origin of Islam itself (!) can be attributed to German Intelligence!
The Hidden Sexual Proclivities of World Politicians
The hidden sex life of world politicians is always titillating - and it's so sad that Michael did not 'go to town' on this matter-as there are a lot of' 'hetero' scandals out there which would have given such added 'spice' to a book which became bogged slightly down in 'kiddie sex' politicians - to the point of boring the reader.  I won't rewrite Michael's book-but there are heirs and spares (even to Royal thrones) whose true lineage is just as interesting and the the general public would go ape (!) to know about such matters.

Deja Vu?

Michael's book becomes a read, almost of, 'read it all before, heard it all before, seen it all before - so what's new?'  However, I must not be too critical because to weave an intelligence book of 800 pages requires a wonderful talent in itself.   I have kept my ear to the ground over the years so perhaps have heard more 'backtalk' than that which many people would ever encounter.   The revelations in Spyhunter will most certainly amaze and stupify a whole new generation
Faction Sells Better Than Reality
Several months ago I was at a low-key reception for a very senior politician.  I met with someone and afterwards we exchanged emails.   I said to him that these days people don't want hard facts and a dull analysis of politics or history, they want everything to be 'jazzed up' - sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll will always keep them (readers) awake.   No 'dry' book about politics and political events will ever sell today as well as one with politicians caught with their 'trousers down' or 'skirts up' and 'in the act'.  If you add brothel scenes and orgies, murder of gay lovers and everything else in the stable, you are probably guaranteed to make enough to retire on your first book!    Shrimpton covers the field quite well - so it would not at all surprise me if Spyhunter is a runaway success.
What I am absolutely sure of is that no 18-23 year-old university undergraduate will fall asleep whilst reading Spyhunter - as they most certainly will with the rest of the 'stuffy' prescribed literature!   And they may actually be motivated to take a real interest in history as a subject; hopefully with a very critical eye.

Markus Wolf and Inga Haag

Michael mentions Markus Wolf - one of the last of the Old World's foremost (and greatest) Cold War spymasters.   But for many years I knew Inga Haag, Britain's foremost spy in Admiral Canaris' Office during World War II.    She showed me a lot of unknown and unpublished material from the days of the Third Reich - all of which is now in the hands of her biographer, a confidant, whom I will not name.   Indeed I was sworn to never reveal where Inga lived - and I knew someone 2 doors away, a socialite, who was quite angry with me when I told her after Inga's death, whom she had been living beside for many years.   Inga would never call herself 'German'.    All her life she remained a 'Prussian'.    The frown on her face and a cursory glance at her watch when I was seconds late reminded me she was still keeping Prussian time - and I dared not repeat the offence twice!   I often felt like a puppy being scolded and on such occasions (yes, unfortunately, there was more than one!) even though Inga did not say a word, I felt like finding some dark place in the corner of the reception room to hide away until her irritation subsided and I could crawl back to the table some seconds whilst her attention was diverted to other matters.   Don't misunderstand me, if you knew Inga well, you knew where she lived.    And she had many friends.    It was not a state secret.   Most people not within her circle, knew little about her background.   We never agreed on how to tackle social issues and, politically, I think , that I was something of a disappointment to Inga, but we agreed to differ.   Inga was highly respected and she also carried one of the first issued NATO passports I ever saw.    So I knew of Markus Wolf, in passing conversation, with Inga at her home.   I had read about the legendary Markus Wolf but never imagined I would have the privilege of discussing with one who knew him.     It's not often you can call someone a legend in their own lifetime but Wolf fits this bill.    Markus knew of Inga from the 'old days' of the Third Reich.    If they ever met before the War it could not have been after 1933 and may have been at a social or societal function when they were both quite young, but I do not know this to be fact.   That not being the case, there were many opportunities in the closing days of World War II when both the Allies and The Soviet Union were vying with each other for top Nazis and Anti-Nazis - with something to offer - and prepared to jump ship in exchange for a new life and anonymity behind the Iron Curtain or in The United States. 
Inga was part of the plot to assassinate Hitler at the Wolf's Lair and only through careful pre-planning and a little bit of luck did she herself avoid the firing squad or the meat hook.  Claus von Stauffenberg and many other co-conspirators were not so fortunate.
 An excellent article by Jason Hiller:'Shaken, not Stirred: Markus Wolf's Involvement in the Guillaume Affair and the Evolution of Foreign Espionage in the Former DDR', published in 'Voces Novae', Chapman University Historical Review,Vol 3, No.1, 2012; may throw some light on where they could have encountered each other, given the difficult circumstances Wolf and his family found themselves in after the Nazis came to power.    I only met Markus Wolf once, in London, whilst chaperoning Inga (who was now in failing mental health, a shadow of her former wonderful sharp-minded self) to a small gathering at a private club off Pall Mall.    Michael was present at this gathering and I introduced him, for the first time, to Inga.   I studied a video on You Tube ('The Secret Vault') in which Michael describes an encounter with Markus Wolf where he addresses him with formal military rank title.   I had initially thought this was during or after a formal intelligence debriefing but Michael assures me this was not the case.   Michael's description of Mr Wolf's reaction was reminiscent to me of an extract from a classic war movie 'Where Eagles Dare' (Story and Screenplay by Alistair MacLean) and I suspect Mr Wolf, as first a former East German Officer and Gentleman (!) reacted exactly how the situation required.  'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' (John le Carré, 1974) and 'The Puzzle Palace' ( James Bamford, 1982 ) are probably the nearest anyone might ever get to this frame of thinking where everything is just one great big puzzle waiting to be solved.   I grew up with German children as intimate friends for the better part of my childhood - the Braun Family as I recall - (I don't think any relation to Eva Braun - but I really don't know as they moved away when I was about 10 or 11 years of age) and who lived above a shop opposite Trinity College.  So I understand the mentality very well - just in case Michael will more likely say: 'ah yes but you know nothing about Jerry!' .   A further criticism is that Michael does not cover the best spy agencies in the world - those famed for their use of sex, drugs and everything else.   Michael might respond by saying 'well we wouldn't want to cover what the good guys and gals do!'; but that reduces your coverage to a very limited and narrow viewfinder making it impossible to paint a reliable picture of the contemporary world of espionage.   I suppose the subtitle 'The Secret History of German Intelligence' might preclude others - but, even if the DVD exist, they cannot operate in a vacuum.

NSA/CIA Military Satellite Diverted In Hunt For The DVD

As to Michael having the influence to divert an NSA /CIA satellite (watch 'The Secret Vault' on You Tube)  for look down elsewhere, all I can say is I doubt that without recommendation from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Director of the CIA, FBI, FDA ,the DEA, NSA or another Government Department or Agency or in preparation for a major covert operation, such an event can occur.    It's not an impossibility (reliable intelligence on the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden might be an occasion for such access/diversion request) but I would be very nervous if military satellites are indeed being diverted at the whims of private citizens (and non-U.S. nationals) to follow up their own free-range private intelligence operations or research.    Michael has told me that, because of the high grade nature of his contacts, it is never possible to compromise intelligence sources by revealing who and when it happened.   Only what, where and how events unfolded can be relayed.   As it stands therefore, we have to believe Michael in this matter on faith alone.  
In Central America, I once encountered a senior CIA operative, living in the safest place in town, and if someone had information which might have been useful, he did have the authority to make such a request, based on hard intelligence.   As it happened, I was not engaged in military intelligence harvesting and therefore had nothing to offer - but the point here is that maybe with the right contacts, something along the lines Michael describes just might be possible. 
The 'Execution' of Admiral Wilhelm Canaris

Quite rightly Michael has said that there is no first-hand account about this matter.  Intelligence Officers have not been unknown to make themselves invisible – forever after - and Canaris was one of the best.   If this were to be true, Soviet Intelligence (NKGB - possibly even involving the young Markus Wolf) or the OSS  and the CIA would have played no small part.  These 'ifs' are, however, speculation, as no hard evidence exists to suggest Canaris survived the failed plot.
Seal Team 6
I was hesitant whether to include anything about the fact that team  members which took out Bin Laden were killed when a Chinook crashed having been struck by Taliban fire while on another mission. I have my own theory, which, for security reasons, I will not elaborate.  What is more important is that many, including Michael Shrimpton, are convinced that the mission was betrayed.  Michael has very persuasive arguments as to why this was the case - and his revelations and conclusions are equally startling.

Madeleine McCann
Michael mentions the Madeleine McCann unsolved disappearance.  Good taste does not allow me to elaborate on his theories - which are also available at 'The Secret Vault' on You Tube, only to say that in our many discussions about aspects of Spyhunter (sometimes page by page or chapter by chapter) I did caution about the wisdom of such idle speculation, without any solid foundations nor evidence, knowing the hurt it will most likely cause her parents.   I have to say here I don't believe a word of Michael's theory - but many conspiracists will.    At the end of the day, it is his book and he is entitled to write it as he see's fit.
Spyhunter – Fact, Fiction, Faction or Conspiracist - Judge For Yourself
In conclusion, Spyhunter, when eventually released, will either be a monumental success or a monumental failure.    In a world of 'smoke and mirrors' you can say anything about anyone - no proof required - as sources can be deemed 'unattributable' - substituting for solid hard facts and evidence.    As to the historical relevance of Spyhunter; well, what exactly is history, if not a jumbled kaleidoscope of faction - spoils to the victor?

Spyhunter,The Secret History of German Intelligence, by Michael Shrimpton

additional references:
http://journals.chapman.edu/ojs/index.php/VocesNovae/article/view/324 
http://www.pubbiz.com/page/content/000049


© Patrick Emek  2013