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“Intelligence activities" refers to the gathering and processing of information to be used for specific purposes. Intelligence activities as such are not illegal. The gathered information may come from open sources such as television, newspapers or the Internet. It is only when a person tries to access classified information or uses covert sources that the intelligence activities become illegal. One example of covert sources are physical sources, i.e. persons. Physical sources are known as spies. A spy is a person who is trying to access classified information in order to hand it over to a foreign power.
Intelligence officers recruit agents in order to access classified information
The most common way to conduct intelligence activities is when a specially trained representative of a foreign state´s intelligence service - an intelligence officer - looks for, finds and recruits an agent - a spy. The agent is a person with access to the classified information the intelligence officer is after. The intelligence officer then tries to run the agent covertly, so that the Security Service will not discover the secret contacts.
Intelligence officers who are in Sweden under false pretences claim to be e.g. diplomats, journalists or businessmen.
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