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For a man, a brothel operator, a private detective, or a drugs purveyor would make more sense for blackmail. How would a waiter in a nondescript location gain a
by MarcusBrutus 10y ago
For a man, a brothel operator, a private detective, or a drugs purveyor would make more sense for blackmail. How would a waiter in a nondescript location gain access to information that would allow him to blackmail? It's not like the hotel was placed near a military base or was frequented by diplomats or generals. Not to mention placing tapping devices in the Queen's furniture. The story, as presented, does not compute.
- swatkat 10y ago>>>> Not to mention placing tapping devices in the Queen's furniture. They didn't actually placed tapping devices in the Queen's furniture. From the article: One of his first ideas was to try planting listening devices in the Queen's furniture, he recalls, though he and his bosses realised it was technically unrealistic.
- quirkafleeg 10y agoI think he knows that, but that part you quoted didn't make sense to him, since how would Van Haarlem even be in a position to access the Queen's furniture, merely working down the road from Buckingham Palace? (At least that's what I thought when reading it anyway.)
- MarcusBrutus 10y agoYep, obviously.
- BickNowstrom 10y agoKarl Koch and his buddies were recruited by a KGB spy posing as a casino croupier in exchange for gambling money and cocaine. A hotel waiter or a concierge is in the perfect position to mingle with the rich and powerful. Upper class people use hotels for extra-marital affairs and business trips in unknown cities. You do not need a first degree connection with the military to get an in. The bar of a famous Dutch hotel was known to be frequented by American spies and drug agents looking to ensnare peons of the local drug maffia, working their way up from there.