“A journalist should never join the Establishment, no matter how tempting the blandishments. It is our job to hold power to account, not join it. In a world that increasingly obsesses over the gods of power, money, and fame, a journalist and a writer must remain detached, like a bird on a rail, watching, noting, probing, commenting, but never joining. In short, an outsider.”

Frederick Forsyth — The Outsider: My Life in Intrigue  

August 30 2021 — On August 30 2015, Frederick Forsyth — The Day of the Jackal author — revealed he had worked for MI6 for more than 20 years. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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“It is 55, 60 years later. There have been memoirs written, highly secret minutes have been published. There’s no East Germany, no Stasi, no KGB, no Soviet Union, so where’s the harm?”

Frederick Forsyth — August 30 2015

Frederick McCarthy Forsyth CBE (born 25 August 1938) is an English author, journalist for the Daily Express and occasional political commentator.

He is best known for thrillers such as The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil’s Alternative, The Fist of God, Icon, The Veteran, Avenger, The Afghan, The Cobra and The Kill List.

Forsyth’s works frequently appear on best-sellers lists and more than a dozen of his titles have been adapted to film. He has sold more than 70 million books in total.

Forsyth worked as a spy for more than two decades after being recruited by the Secret Intelligence Service in 1968.

The writer had been working at the time as a freelance reporter, covering the war between Nigeria and the breakaway state of Biafra.

Forsyth conducted counter-intelligence in Communist East Germany and apartheid-era South Africa.

In his autobiography, Forsyth wrote that he was so worried about what would happen to him if he was captured during his time spying in Africa that he carried a revolver loaded with a single bullet, so he could kill himself rather than be tortured to death.

Explaining his decision to publish the details now, Forsyth said:

“It is 55, 60 years later. There have been memoirs written, highly secret minutes have been published. There’s no East Germany, no Stasi, no KGB, no Soviet Union, so where’s the harm?”

Forsyth claimed he was never paid for spying. But of course, like any credible fictional spy, Forsyth bedded a series of exotic women during his espionage career.

 “The Jackal was perfectly aware that in 1963 General de Gaulle was not only the President of France; he was also the most closely and skillfully guarded figure in the Western world. To assassinate him, as was later proved, was considerably more difficult than to kill President John F. Kennedy of the United States. Although the English killer did not know it, French security experts who had through American courtesy been given an opportunity to study the precautions taken to guard the life of President Kennedy had returned somewhat disdainful of those precautions as exercised by the American Secret Service. The French experts rejection of the American methods was later justified when in November 1963 John Kennedy was killed in Dallas by a half-crazed and security-slack amateur while Charles de Gaulle lived on, to retire in peace and eventually to die in his own home.”

 Frederick Forsyth — The Day of the Jackal    

Frederick Forsyth — My days as an MI6 spy

REFERENCES

Frederick Forsyth: My life as Cold War spy for MI6 — The Telegraph

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On This Day — Frederick Forsyth : “I worked for MI6 for More Than 20 Years.” [August 30 2015]

On This Day — Frederick Forsyth : “I worked for MI6 for More Than 20 Years.” (August 30 2015) [2019]

Five Years Ago — Frederick Forsyth : “I worked for MI6 for More Than 20 Years.” (August 30 2015)

On This Day — Frederick Forsyth : “I worked for MI6 for More Than 20 Years.” (August 30 2015) [2021]