Generally speaking, when we use the words spy and espionage, our mental image goes back to the character of “James Bond” riding on Aston Martin having all kinds of fabulous weapons entered into the depth of intelligent service and military organization taking every favorable thing after a heroic battle! However; in fact, when it is spoken about espionage, James Bond, 007 agents or impossible missions are mentioned less. Particularly during these periods of time when entering into top secret organizations and stealing strange safes are not needed for gathering valuable data from the aimed countries. In our world, it is enough for a country in the aimed community to have a really ordinary humane network which is in the same level with various castes particularly the lowest one of the society to be able to extract the most strategic social, economic and cultural data which is favorable for itself out of that network.
In searching data in great scale, there is a word called (OSINT) which stands for open source intelligent and means collecting data from open and general sources. In practice, the main criterion for open source data is that no secret collecting methods are needed at all to achieve it. On the other hand, this method is collecting and analyzing data acquired by open or general social sources.
It is really interesting and of course essential to be known that in our society, which possibility is existent for exploiting the open sources in the field of security and intelligent service? Of course, it is necessary to be mentioned that the part related to analyzing data of virtual social networks in great scale which has been spread in all humane communities, will not be discussed as our topic. In a society like Iran, forming classic social networks was done by two Colonial consulates, Russia and England in various forms. These networks were of the most important influential means in the society and directed the general thoughts, pursued strategic aims and were sources for gathering data.
They organized Anglophile groups inside the country formed masonry lodges and organized sectarian structures like Bahaism and etc. in the country. Out of the mentioned means, the hidden organization of Bahaism whose hidden nature is known less by people has been responsible for gathering data from the open resources. Preservation is keyword of the cult to acquire data about real and judicial people. The preservation group of Bahaism is responsible for protecting, supervising and gathering data of all Baha’is in the world. To explain more, Bahaism is superficially semi-religious but its nature is extremely atheistic. It is a collection of members who are being trained and brainwashed since childhood- 3 years of age – and are also responsible for regulating really organizational criteria. In this organizational structure, every member is obliged to live in a geographic position which is being determined by the cult. Changing residential place by the person without the organization permission will lead to punishment and various reproaches. Also, the members will be obliged to participate at regular meetings called receptions.
The people in charge of the cult are gaining data and news from their subclasses in all layers of life including family, occupation, personal interests, social position, living positions, family relations and etc. gathered by security services of the organization, that is, the continental consultants, the helpers and at last the members of the house of proselytizing in Haifa gather data to send to the center of the organization- in occupied Palestine.
It shouldn’t be imagined that these extensive data are limited to the members of the cult, but everybody who is kept in touch by the Baha’is during the day – Baha’i or non-Baha’i- will be included in this great intelligent service net. This approach indicates determined aims regarding organization’s attempts to recruit members from people of all walks of life. As it is stated in the message of the cult center: “Dear disciples must try to enlarge their social contacts with outside the community.”[۱]
It is interesting to be noted that in addition to expand relations, the Baha’is are advised to have intimate social intercourse: “Each person… must set his/her social activities… to have enough time for intimate social intercourses.”[۲] Also it is stated: “Adults, parents, community and the organization will protect your initiatives (the Baha’i youth) as possible.”[3] These expansions of contacts along with intimate social intercourses provide suitable background for the organization and each Baha’i becomes the agent of the intelligent service of the organization willingly or unwillingly.
Some of the programs of the organization to gather data from non-Baha’i community are as follows.
Some years ago, a board from the main center of Bahaism and the members of the proselytizing house set special goals in a meeting with a group of Baha’is of Iran regarding being active in field of “foreign relations”. The aims of the meeting were as follows: defending Bahaism and the influence of this organization on community. It was decided that the occupational groups become active to keep in touch with governmental and non-governmental organizations to fulfill several missions.
[۱] The message of the universal center of Bahaism, Aug. 21, 2006 A.D.
[۲] Ibid.
[۳] The message of the universal center of Bahaism, Sep. 9, 2007, A.D.
