Night School Lessons In Spying (Press, 8 January 1988)

On 8 January 1988, Nick Davies, a journalist for the "Guardian" in London, described his experience attending a night class in covert operations in Washington D.C. for just seven dollars. The class, taught by David Atlee Phillips, a former CIA officer with extensive experience in clandestine activities, aimed to provide insight into the world of espionage. Phillips, who had served in various parts of Latin America and had a role in significant historical events such as the destabilisation of the Allende government in Chile, shared his knowledge of the CIA’s operations and addressed various questions from the students, who were serious about pursuing careers in intelligence. During the discussion, Phillips provided candid answers about the requirements and culture of the CIA. He noted that being gay could be a barrier to employment, as he was aware of individuals being fired for their sexual orientation, although recent changes at the National Security Agency (NSA) appeared more progressive. He indicated that past drug use could potentially be overlooked depending on the circumstances, and while he had not seen instances of women in the CIA being explicitly ordered to use sex for intelligence work, it could occur in deep undercover situations. The class comprised mainly young, white, middle-class individuals, equally divided in gender, genuinely eager to become covert operatives. Some students shared their personal experiences and concerns regarding the recruitment process and how their previous work or personal attributes might affect their chances of being hired. For instance, one woman who had applied to the CIA but delayed submitting her application due to its demanding nature received encouragement from Phillips to try again. Phillips also addressed questions about the dangers of being a spy, admitting that fatalities occurred, and he humorously recounted an incident where a gun issued to him for protection was stolen. When asked about the effectiveness of the CIA compared to other intelligence services, he acknowledged that while the British had once held that title, issues like the Philby scandal had diminished their reputation, and while the CIA was competitive, he regarded the Cubans as skilled spies with a unique ability to adapt. He also expressed a preference for Israeli support if ever in danger. Finally, Phillips reflected on the CIA's perception of his night classes, suggesting that some within the agency might consider his openness as unconventional, and he humorously speculated that he might be under surveillance in these sessions. He contrasted his experiences and freedoms with the restrictions evident in the British Government’s response to former agent Peter Wright's book, indicating his difficulty in understanding the latter's approach.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand