ABSTRACT
Chapter 4’s coverage of human intelligence made it clear that there were several sources and forms of information that could only be accessed through another human being. However, tactics that rely on persuading others to cooperate can fall short in securing the type of information that the intelligence operative might consider as necessary. Indeed, when the stakes are high and there is a great deal of pressure to get the information needed, it is sometimes felt that more ‘direct’ methods are required. To this end, blackmail and torture both have the potential to be powerful means of encouraging even the most reticent to comply. In this chapter, these two activities are explored to determine if their use can ever be justified given the particular types of harm they can each cause.
