LOC19:12
16:12 GMT
LONDON, Nov 18 (KUNA) -- The MI5 warned members of Parliament and members of the House of Lords of significant risks of espionage from the Chinese state, BBC reported Tuesday.
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and his counterpart in the House of Lords, Lord McFall, have circulated a new "espionage alert" issued by the security services.
The MI5 alert identifies two LinkedIn profiles, which it says are used on behalf of the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS).
It says they act as "civilian recruitment head-hunters", targeting individuals working in British politics to solicit "insider insights".
Writing to MPs, Sir Lindsay said Chinese state actors were "relentless" in trying to "interfere with our processes and influence activity at Parliament".
The alert from MI5 says "false personas" approach targets to "work as freelance consultants authoring geopolitical reports".
Other elements of espionage described in the MI5 alert include all-expenses paid trips to China, and payment for information through cash or cryptocurrency.
Targets are said to include "Parliament staff, economists, think tank employees, geo-political consultants and those working alongside [the government] including MPs and members of the House of Lords". (end)
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