{
  "id": 15966322,
  "title": "Code word Gospel: How UK secret service caught soldier selling plans to ‘save Lebanon’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/code-word-gospel-how-uk-secret-service-caught-soldier-selling-plans",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-21T23:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uk/2026/10/21/codeword-gospel-how-uk-secret-service-caught-soldier-selling-plans-to-save-lebanon/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On March 16, 1965, Chief Inspector Jock Wilson of London's Special Branch observed Peter Sydney Allen, a soldier and desk sergeant at the Ministry of Defence, exchanging envelopes with an Iraqi embassy official. This led to Allen's arrest, along with the Iraqi embassy official, for selling state secrets to foreign agents. Allen was taken to New Scotland Yard and charged with selling Top Secret UK and US plans to assist Lebanon in the event of an attack on the government. The documents he handed over included plans for joint US and UK action in Lebanon, as well as files on assistance for Kuwait and a list of other secret files. Allen, desperate for money due to hospital bills and the needs of his family, had been selling secrets since using a payphone at the War Office to contact the Iraqi embassy. He received £20 for his first sale and was informed that the documents were of no value to the embassy. The Top Secret Lebanon papers were later revealed through a release of UK government documents, providing insight into the US and UK's joint plan for potential action in Lebanon.",
  "summary": "At lunchtime on March 16, 1965, Chief Inspector Jock Wilson of London’s Special Branch followed his suspect through the streets surrounding London’s Charing Cross Underground station. Under the railway arches nearby, he witnessed Peter Sydney Allen exchange envelopes with another man. It was time to move in. He arrested Allen, a soldier and desk sergeant working at the Ministry of Defence who had…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National Business",
        "title": "Code word Gospel: How UK secret service caught soldier selling plans to ‘save Lebanon’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/code-word-gospel-how-uk-secret-service-caught-soldier-selling-plans-15971711",
        "published": "2026-10-21T23:01:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}