Annie Machon (born July 30, 1971) is a British intelligence whistle-blower, journalist, and political activist. She is best known for her role in exposing the British intelligence services’ involvement in illegal activities, including the bugging of foreign diplomats and the illegal sales of arms to Saudi Arabia.
Machon grew up in a rural village near Taunton, England. She attended college at the University of Bristol, where she earned a degree in French and Spanish. After graduating, she worked as a translator for the European Parliament in Brussels.
In 1994, Machon joined the British intelligence service MI5 as a counter-terrorism officer. She quickly rose to become the assistant director and head of the European desk. During this time, she became increasingly aware of the agency’s illegal activities, which she felt violated her conscience.
In 1996, Machon and her partner, former MI5 agent David Shayler, made the decision to expose the illegal activities of the British intelligence services. The pair held press conferences and provided evidence to the press, which resulted in a series of articles in The Guardian. The articles sparked an international scandal and an investigation by the British government.
The couple fled to France to escape arrest and imprisonment. They were granted asylum in France in 2001, but were later forced to flee to Germany. In Germany, Machon and Shayler continued to speak out against the British intelligence services, and Machon wrote her first book, Spies, Lies and Whistleblowers.
In 2006, Machon returned to the United Kingdom and received a partial pardon from the government. She has since become a prominent political activist and author, speaking out against government surveillance and the lack of transparency in the intelligence services. She has also become a sought-after public speaker, appearing at numerous conferences and universities, and regularly contributing to print and broadcast media outlets.
Annie Machon is a courageous and inspiring figure, whose whistleblowing and activism have had a significant impact on the public’s understanding of the inner workings of the intelligence services. Her story is one of courage in the face of adversity, and her example continues to inspire others to speak truth to power.
