This is a “secret CIA review” explaining and giving advice to US Government clandestine operatives regarding travel in the Scheagen area of the EU. The review outlines, explains and details the risk to US operatives of the border crossing status within Schengren, as they travel to conduct covert operations in the region. It includes the various border watch list systems. It explains what the border guards are trained to look for in travelers an specifically describes Scheagen collection and usage of biometric data.
Leaked CIA documents reveal how CIA officers move around Europe using fake passports and gives practical advise on avoiding detection and surviving secondary airport screening procedures .
The documents also reflect that US spies are concerned about an EU plan to force travelers to give their fingerprints and have a photo taken when they first arrive at Europe’s border. Which obviously would make it more difficult for spies to move about undetected in Europe.
Previously US spies entered Europe through the 26 countries of the Schengen Area with only a “minimal” risk that EU border guards will grow suspicious.
The Schengen Area is the area comprising 26 European countries that have abolished passport and any other type of border control at their common borders, also referred to as internal borders. It mostly functions as a single country for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy.
The Schengen Area was specifically chosen because of its common visa policy and lax security measures . It was known that “European border guards are focused primarily on ” illegal immigration and criminal activities, not counterintelligence”, the CIA documents concluded.
By way of advice to spies the document says this about secondary airport screening procedures: “Although a certain degree of nervousness is expected, persistent indications of deceptive behavior will almost certainly extend the secondary interview.”
It also advises spies “not to pay cash for one-way tickets or to buy tickets at the airport because such behavior could raise suspicions and lead to more scrutiny by officials and border guards.” Which is definitely something you want to avoid.
But that all changes in 2015 with the new EU plan to fingerprint and photo ID travelers goes online.
The CIA believes, rightly so, that the new system “would increase the identity threat” for its agents travelling undercover. Unless of course they get much more creative in how they bypass security protocols.
The CIA refused comment on this report.
See related video: WikiLeaks Publishes CIA Tips for Traveling Spies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_efS3xemuk0
Note: Twenty-two of the twenty-eight European Union (EU) member states participate in the Schengen Area. Of the six EU members that do not form part of the Schengen Area, four – Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania – are legally obliged and wish to join the area, while the other two – Ireland and the United Kingdom – maintain opt-outs. All four European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member states – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland – have signed the Schengen Agreement, even though they are outside the EU. In addition three European microstates – Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican – can be considered as de facto within the Schengen Area as they do not have border controls with the Schengen countries that surround them; but they have not officially signed documents that make them part of Schengen. The Schengen Area currently has a population of over 400 million people and an area of 4,312,099 square kilometres (1,664,911 sq mi).