James Bond: rolling in his fictional grave

The Hon. Alexander Allan

As soon as I saw this story Spy chief Alex Allan found with 'blood everywhere', I knew there was going to be a mystery. Shades of 007. Britain's top intelligence officer, Alexander Allan is found in his home near death. Here is how the Wikipedia editor summarizes the events:

On 3 July 2008 it was reported that Allan was unconscious and seriously ill in hospital after he collapsed at his home earlier in the week. Government sources said that there was no sign of foul play. It has been suggested that Mr Allan was poisoned by one of several organisations, including Al Qaeda, or the Russia Government but this was initially dismissed by New Scotland Yard. Another theory is that he took an overdose. On 4 July 2008 it was reported that British police were carrying out toxicology tests to determine if Mr Allan had been poisoned. On 10 July 2008 a Cabinet Office spokesman said Allan had regained consciousness but for now will remain in hospital to regain his strength.

You know there has to be more to this than meets the eye. I can't even guess what the official story will be. Similarly, I can't say that I'll believe the official story when it does come out. The cat is strange by American political standards. He's a devoted fan of the LSD drenched Grateful Dead. He once used a windsurfing board to get to work in London during a train strike. The picture above sure doesn't seem like that of a future diplomat or spy-master. His career details may be found here on his own web-site.

Alex Allan - a more recent photograph

His current job as chairman of UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Cabinet Office Joint Intelligence Committee is described as: "a full-time post that requires him to read all the most secret intelligence and to assess its value before providing a weekly summary for the Prime Minister and other appropriate Cabinet ministers in the so-called Red Book." Now he is the center of a deadly mystery with possibly wide repercussions. Drug overdose? Ham-handed ex-KGB thuggery? Skulking Arabists? Civil Service back-stabbers? Angry lover? I can't wait for the next episode.