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Netherlands: "Volunteer" spy

01 July 1994

A man posing as a volunteer for Third World groups has been providing information to a private security firm, Algemene Beveiligings Consultants (ABC, general security consultants) in Vinkeveen, Netherlands, giving them confidential mail collected from the groups over several years. Each week the man collected the waste paper of at least a dozen groups like the Shipping Research Bureau (monitoring the boycott of South Africa), trade union groups, peace groups, the Transnational Institute, and the Nicaragua Committee. Confidential letters, for example on the planning of consumer boycott campaigns were passed by ABC to various clients with business interests in Third World countries. Suspicion arose after members of one of the campaigns were shown copies of their confidential campaign and funding plans during talks with representatives of the baby food industry. Members of the activist investigating group, Buro Jansen & Janssen, were asked to investigate the information leak.

They saw the man carrying boxes of paper into the offices of ABC on several occasions. ABC's director Mr P Siebelt denies any knowledge of these activities. It is not known whether ABC was also supplying information to state agencies. Third World committees have decided to acquire paper shredding equipment.