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MI6 Launches Dark Web Platform ‘Silent Courier’ to Recruit Spies Worldwide
Britain’s foreign intelligence service, MI6, has unveiled a new dark web portal designed to facilitate secure communication with potential informants across the globe, including those in Russia. The platform, named Silent Courier, marks a significant shift in the agency’s recruitment and intelligence-gathering methods, adapting to the digital era’s evolving threats.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper described the initiative as a necessary step to ensure the United Kingdom remains ahead of its adversaries. “As the world changes, and the threats we’re facing multiply, we must ensure the UK is always one step ahead,” Cooper said ahead of the launch. “Now we’re bolstering their efforts with cutting-edge tech so MI6 can recruit new spies for the UK — in Russia and around the world.”
To introduce the portal, MI6 released a series of videos highlighting its purpose and security features. One video acknowledged the service’s long reliance on face-to-face meetings but emphasized the new ability to make connections securely online. “If you have access to sensitive information relating to global instability or hostile intelligence activity, you can now contact MI6 and share this securely using Silent Courier,” the narrator explained.
The videos also provided detailed instructions for potential users. Informants are urged to use a “clean” device — not their personal phone, computer, or any belonging to family or friends — and to access the platform through Tor, an open-source browser that enables anonymous browsing. Those in “high-risk countries” are further advised to use a virtual private network (VPN) to enhance security.
The campaign comes as MI6 faces mounting global challenges, from Russia’s war in Ukraine to rising tensions in the Middle East and growing cyber threats. Outgoing MI6 chief Richard Moore, who has led the service since 2020, confirmed the portal’s launch during an address in Istanbul on Friday. “To those men and women in Russia who have truths to share and the courage to share them, I invite you to contact MI6,” he declared.
Moore is set to step down in October and will be succeeded by Blaise Metreweli, who will make history as the first woman to head the agency.
The Silent Courier initiative mirrors a 2023 campaign by the CIA, which used social media to reach potential Russian informants. Analysts suggest that by adopting similar digital strategies, Western intelligence agencies are adapting to new realities in which physical meetings are riskier, and encrypted platforms offer both reach and protection.
With Silent Courier, MI6 is betting that secure online communication can open doors to sources of information that might otherwise remain beyond its grasp.
News
Investigation Underway After Goa Nightclub Fire Kills at Least 25
Authorities in the Indian state of Goa have opened an investigation into a nightclub fire that killed at least 25 people, including several tourists, in one of the region’s most popular party districts. Six others were injured in the blaze, which broke out shortly after midnight in Arpora, a nightlife hub about 25 kilometres from the state capital, Panaji.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed the death toll in a statement posted on X, saying the victims included many of the club’s kitchen staff and a small number of visiting tourists. He added that all the injured were in stable condition and receiving medical treatment. Rescue teams recovered all bodies from the site.
Early reports from local police, cited by the Press Trust of India, indicated that a gas cylinder explosion triggered the fire. Witnesses, however, told the agency that the blaze appeared to start on the club’s first floor, where nearly 100 tourists were dancing at the time. As smoke and flames swept through the building, many people ran toward the lower floor, where they became trapped along with staff members.
Sawant said a formal inquiry would determine the exact cause and whether the club complied with fire safety regulations. He pledged strict action against anyone found responsible, writing on X that any negligence uncovered by investigators would be “dealt with firmly”.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic as patrons attempted to flee the burning building. “We rushed out of the club only to see that the entire structure was up in flames,” said Fatima Shaikh, who was inside when the fire began.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences in a message on X, calling the incident “deeply saddening” and wishing the injured a swift recovery.
Local media reported that the club’s location along the Arpora River backwaters posed challenges for emergency crews. A narrow approach road forced fire engines to park about 400 metres from the entrance, slowing their response. Reports also revealed that the building had previously received a demolition notice after officials found it lacked a construction permit. That order was later withdrawn by senior state authorities, according to Arpora councillor Roshan Redkar.
Incidents involving gas cylinders and electrical faults are not unusual in India and often lead to heavy casualties, prompting renewed calls for stronger enforcement of safety standards. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the tragedy as a “criminal failure of safety and governance” and urged a transparent investigation to establish accountability and prevent future disasters.
The probe into the fire is expected to assess structural safety, emergency exits and compliance with existing regulations as authorities work to piece together how the late-night gathering turned into one of the deadliest incidents in the state in recent years.
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