MI6 establishes presence on dark web for first time to recruit spies

LONDON: A new dark web portal to recruit spies for Britain's foreign intelligence agency, MI6, from countries such as Russia will be launched in the UK on Friday. It is the first time MI6 has established its official presence on the dark web to reach new recruits and tackle hostile actors seeking to undermine UK security.

MI6's new secure messaging platform - Silent Courier - enables anyone anywhere in the world with access to sensitive information relating to terrorism or hostile intelligence activity to securely contact the UK and offer their services.

Instructions on how to access the portal will be publicly available on MI6's verified YouTube channel on Friday. MI6 advises individuals accessing its portal to use trustworthy VPNs and devices not linked to themselves, to mitigate risks which exist in some countries. The aim is to make it easier for MI6 to recruit agents in Russia and other countries online.

UK foreign secretary Yvette Cooper said: "As the world changes, and the threats we're facing multiply, we must ensure the UK is always one step ahead of our adversaries. Our world class intelligence agencies are at the coalface of this challenge, working behind the scenes to keep British people safe."