NOS News•
The regulator of the intelligence and security services (CTIVD) conducts investigations into the deployment of agents by these services. Agents refer to persons who collect information on the instructions of these services.
According to the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD), agents are usually people from outside their own organization who work undercover. To appear credible, such an agent may need to break the law, according to the service.
Virtual agents and journalists
One of the CTIVD investigations focuses on the use of ‘virtual’ agents. These are agents who only gather information on the internet, for example by registering with extremist chat groups.
There will also be an investigation into the recruitment of journalists. This may be related to an article by NRC last year. It stated that the AIVD and its military counterpart MIVD “systematically” recruit journalists as agents.
The newspaper spoke to about fifteen journalists who had been approached by these services, including investigative journalist and program maker Sinan Can. He refused and blamed the working method of the services, because journalists in the Middle East, for example, run a great risk.
Mental well-being
The third CTIVD investigation focuses on the fulfillment of the duty of care with regard to the mental well-being of their agents.
The work of an undercover agent can be mentally demanding. In recent years, the National Police Unit has had a number of suicide cases associated with work as an undercover agent.
.