Irish Officials reported Tuesday to Politico that Russia had used its intelligence services to recruit an Irish Politician to act on their behalf in order to exploit tensions in the UK following Brexit. The politician, who remains a sitting member of the Irish parliament, The Oireachtas, was recruited to be a “propaganda mole and emissary” under the code name “Cobalt.” The recruitment allegedly aimed at intensifying tensions between Britain and Ireland amid the Brexit negotiations. The operation has been described as a “honeytrap” style recruitment. This style of recruitment refers to an agent engaging in sexual encounters with an individual, and utilizing them as a means to coerce information or provide leverage for blackmail.
Debate has arisen regarding the need to publicize the true name of Cobalt. One Irish Minister, Eamon Ryan, has emerged at the forefront of a movement urging for the name to be revealed of this individual to ensure the public remains trusting of the Irish government and ensure no further trust detriment. However, this position is contested by the lack of laws violated by the individual. Under Irish law, his identity does not need to be revealed simply due to his associations with Russia and its intelligence agencies. The Ukrainian Pravda writes that the “Irish defamation law[s are]… extremely favorable to the plaintiff.”
The revelation has led to mass suggestions to audit government departments to ensure minimal Russian influence and manipulation of foreign officials domestically and internationally. Peadar Tóibín, a member of Dáil Éireann or the lower house of the Irish parliament, is quoted as saying, “I think every political party has a responsibility now to carry out a very quick audit to see if any of their TDs [Dáil Éireann members] or Senators have been approached.”
Further concern arises about the easy manipulation of, in particular, Irish officials by Russian agencies. Cathal Berry following the revelation of Cobalt stated, “If you are looking to affect a Western country with extensive assets and a poor security culture then Ireland is ground zero.”
