Friday, November 17, 2006

Just in Case You Were Wondering

Does James Bond have a license to kill? - By Justin Shubow - Slate Magazine: "Do British secret agents really have a license to kill?

Yes, but you won't find those loaded words in the relevant statute. With the Intelligence Services Act of 1994, the British government publicly acknowledged the existence of the agency responsible for foreign espionage—the Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6—and set up a system of parliamentary accountability for it.

Under Section 7 of the Intelligence Services Act, the secretary of state can authorize persons to commit acts abroad for which they may not be held liable under British law. By implication, that includes all criminal law relating to the use of lethal force."

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