In
hostile countries, CIA case officers use the "Brush Pass" to exchange
physical items with couriers or the spies they recruit. They "brush"
past each other, usually in public places with crowds to interfere with any
visual surveillance. However, if they suspect foreign spies are present, they
will choose alleyways or narrow corridors. They don't stop walking, and at
most, they appear to bump into each other.
The exchange may involve carrying identical
objects, such as newspapers, briefcases, or magazines, with the information
being exchanged in one of them. As they separate, they still appear to hold the
same object in the same hand. Experienced spymasters learn to pass sensitive
data "baton style," like in a relay race, usually done with small
objects like photographic film cartridges. This method is more dangerous and
requires better manual dexterity, but it has the advantage of the operatives
not carrying anything after the transfer and blending into a crowd even more
easily.
A variation of the brush pass is the live
letter drop, where one agent follows a predefined route on foot with a prepared
report hidden in a pocket. En route, a second agent unknown to the first picks
their pocket and passes the report on unread to a cut-out or intelligence
officer. This technique provides opportunities for plausible deniability and
penetration by hostile agents.
Here's a snippet from the spy thriller
novel "MISSION
OF VENGEANCE," where a team of counterintelligence agents carries
out a brush pass:
Snippet-
Phillips
lay on a lounge chair by the pool, sipping a Bahama Mama and admiring the tall
palms. Across the tiled patio was a makeshift bamboo beach bar with a thick
palmetto-thatched roof. A stairway rose behind it to an unoccupied upper level,
but it was veiled by a terra cotta clay border wall.
It had to be flawless. CIA spymaster Corey
Pearson walked past Phillips and began ascending the brown-tiled stairway. His
coppery-colored duffel bag blended well with the surroundings. Steve Sweeney,
codenamed "Brush Pass," appeared through an opening at the top of the
stairwell and descended, carrying an identical bag. Neither man paused nor
stared at each other; they merely glanced curiously at the pool below them...and
at Phillips.
If Phillips had taken a sip from her
drink, the brief encounter would have been terminated. Fortunately, she did
not. Sweeney's duffel bag hung from his shoulder, while Corey's was low at knee
level, hidden by the wall. Without breaking stride, Sweeney lowered his bag to
his side just before Corey passed. Neither man stopped, paused, or bent over.
Phillips accidentally knocked three tin
ashtrays off the table next to her onto the tile patio, making a loud noise.
She apologized to those sunbathing around her. Corey and Sweeney walked their
separate ways, and no one noticed the exchange. End of snippet.
There are many real-life examples of CIA
operatives employing the brush pass. During the Cold War, a CIA operative named
Marti Peterson used the brush pass technique to exchange information with a
Soviet defector in Moscow's Gorky Park. Peterson and the defector, code-named
Trigon, had agreed to meet at a specific location in the park.
To avoid detection by KGB agents, they used
the brush pass to exchange documents. As they passed each other, Trigon handed
Peterson a shopping bag, and Peterson handed Trigon a magazine. The exchange
was successful, and Peterson was able to gather critical intelligence for the
CIA. This operation became one of the most successful examples of the brush
pass technique in the agency's history.
In another instance, a CIA operative in a
foreign country needed to pass information to a recruited spy. They arranged to
meet at a busy marketplace, where they both blended in with the crowds. As they
walked past each other, the operative brushed a small package into the spy's
hand. The package contained a coded message with crucial intelligence
information. The spy slipped the package into his pocket and continued to walk
through the market as if nothing had happened. Thanks to the successful brush
pass, the CIA operative was able to pass on critical information without
arousing suspicion or alerting any potential surveillance.
During the Cold War, a CIA agent operating
in East Germany needed to pass critical information to his asset without being
detected by the Stasi, the East German intelligence agency. The agent arranged
a brush pass with his asset in a crowded park in East Berlin. They both walked
towards each other, and as they passed, the asset handed the agent a newspaper.
The agent continued walking while he removed a microdot hidden in the newspaper,
and then discarded it in a nearby trash can. The asset kept walking and blended
into the crowd while the agent continued on his way without arousing suspicion,
and the information was successfully passed without detection. This brush pass
allowed the agent to maintain his cover and continue gathering crucial
intelligence.
In sum, CIA case officers need to be as
stealthy as a ninja to exchange physical items with couriers or the spies they
recruit. That's where the brush pass technique comes into play. They brush past
each other, almost like a romantic comedy, but with sensitive information
instead of hearts. If there's a chance of visual surveillance, they'll choose
alleyways or narrow corridors. They don't stop walking, and at most, they
appear to bump into each other. It's like a scene out of a spy thriller, except
it's happening for real.
But don't worry, the brush pass isn't just
reserved for the likes of James Bond. In fact, it's been used by real-life
spies, such as Marti Peterson, who exchanged information with a Soviet defector
in Gorky Park during the Cold War. It was a success, proving that the brush
pass is a valuable tool in the CIA's arsenal.
So, if you ever see two strangers "brushing" past each other, don't be too quick to judge. They might just be exchanging crucial intelligence to save the world. Or, they could be on a really awkward first date. You never know.
Robert Morton is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and enjoys writing about the U.S. Intelligence Community. He authors the Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster series. Check out his latest spy thrillers: MISSION OF VENGEANCE.
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