Undercover : the true story of Britain's secret police

' Undercover lays bare the deceit, betrayal and cold-blooded violation practised again and again by undercover police officers - troubling, timely and brilliantly executed.' Henry Porter The gripping stories of a group of police spies - written by the award-winning investigative journalists who exposed the Mark Kennedy scandal - and the uncovering of forty years of state espionage. This was an undercover operation so secret that some of our most senior police officers had no idea it existed. The job of the clandestine unit was to monitor British 'subversives' - environmental activists, anti-racist groups, animal rights campaigners. Police stole the identities of dead people to create fake passports, driving licences and bank accounts. They then went deep undercover for years, inventing whole new lives so that they could live incognito among the people they were spying on. They used sex, intimate relationships and drugs to build their credibility. They betrayed friends, deceived lovers, even fathered children. And their operations continue today. Undercover reveals the truth about secret police operations - the emotional turmoil, the psychological challenges and the human cost of a lifetime of deception - and asks whether such tactics can ever be justified. "Undercover lifts the lid on police surveillance, and a programme to covertly monitor political activists that has been one of the government's best-kept secrets since 1968. It exposes the world of wire taps, private investigators, surveillance units, vehicle tracking devices, and secret government databases that list forensic details about all citizens who take part in peaceful protests. It tells the gripping human stories of six police spies, part of a covert team of agents that for four decades have had license to break the law and sleep with the enemy. Chief among them is PC Mark Kennedy, whose audacious seven years living a double-life as an environmental activist were made public in January 2011, in the worst scandal concerning undercover policing in British history. This is the definitive account of Mark Kennedy and undercover policing, written by the award-winning investigative journalists who brought the scandal to the world's attention. They are the only people to have spoken extensively with Kennedy while he was in hiding in the United States, as well as to his close friends and lovers. Between them, they have uncovered secret databases of 'domestic extremists', getting hold of files that reveal the seemingly banal information about protesters being accumulated by police. Their investigations have spanned the use of private investigators and attempts to recruit informants. The journalists' knowledge and expertise will be deepened with the assistance of Pete Black, who -- in contrast to Kennedy -- will give an authentic insider account of the trials and tribulations of an undercover officer at the heart of the protest movement, and the psychological feat of pulling that off."--Publisher description Undercover Lifts The Lid On Police Surveillance, And A Programme To Covertly Monitor Political Activists That Has Been One Of The Government's Best-kept Secrets Since 1968. It Exposes The World Of Wire Taps, Private Investigators, Surveillance Units, Vehicle Tracking Devices, And Secret Government Databases That List Forensic Details About All Citizens Who Take Part In Peaceful Protests. It Tells The Gripping Human Stories Of Six Police Spies, Part Of A Covert Team Of Agents That For Four Decades Have Had License To Break The Law And Sleep With The Enemy. Chief Among Them Is Pc Mark Kennedy, Whose Audacious Seven Years Living A Double-life As An Environmental Activist Were Made Public In January 2011, In The Worst Scandal Concerning Undercover Policing In British History. Machine Generated Contents Note: Ch. 1 Secret Unravels -- Ch. 2 Starter For 10 -- Ch. 3 Slippery Fox -- Ch. 4 Fatherhood -- Ch. 5 Mcspies -- Ch. 6 Going Rogue -- Ch. 7 Enter Mr Black -- Ch. 8 Changing Course -- Ch. 9 Exit Mr Angry -- Ch. 10 Nothing But The Truth? -- Ch. 11 Invisible Men -- Ch. 12 Things Can Only Get Better -- Ch. 13 Clown And The Truck Driver -- Ch. 14 Birth Of The Hound Dog -- Ch. 15 International Playboy -- Ch. 16 Rock And Roll Star -- Ch. 17 Phantom Returns -- Ch. 18 Business As Usual. Paul Lewis And Rob Evans. ' Undercover lays bare the deceit, betrayal and cold-blooded violation practised again and again by undercover police officers - troubling, timely and brilliantly executed.' - Henry Porter The gripping stories of a group of police spies - written by the award-winning investigative journalists who exposed the Mark Kennedy scandal - and the uncovering of forty years of state espionage. This was an undercover operation so secret that some of our most senior police officers had no idea it existed. The job of the clandestine unit was to monitor British 'subversives' - environmental activists, anti-racist groups, animal rights campaigners. Police stole the identities of dead people to create fake passports, driving licences and bank accounts. They then went deep undercover for years, inventing whole new lives so that they could live incognito among the people they were spying on. They used sex, intimate relationships and drugs to build their credibility. They betrayed friends, deceived lovers, even fathered children. And their operations continue today. Undercover reveals the truth about secret police operations - the emotional turmoil, the psychological challenges and the human cost of a lifetime of deception - and asks whether such tactics can ever be justified. THEY STEAL IDENTITIES.THEY BREAK THE LAW.THEY SLEEP WITH THE ENEMY.THEY ARE THE UNDERCOVER POLICE.This is the breathtaking story of forty years of state espionage revealed by award-winning journalists Rob Evans and Paul Lewis.