Czech President’s Spy Games

This is an unprecedented move by Zeman. First of all, operational security demands a very high level of 'need to know' and compartmentalisation within counter-intelligence work. The identities of surveillance targets, the sources and methods used to monitor and expose them, and even their apparent missions are treated as extremely confidential.

Besides which, the president's role is largely ceremonial and a check on the powers of the legislature, with certain powers of veto and amnesty. While the BIS formally reports to the president as well as the parliamentary security committee and the prime minister, real command authority rests with the last of these.

Although Prime Minister Andrej Babis has not yet waded into the fray, Czech parliamentarians and intelligence veterans have already expressed their surprise and disquiet about Zeman's intervention.

Pavel Fischer, chair of the Senate's Security Committee, tweeted that this represented a potential threat to national security. A member of his committee, Senator Tomas Czernin, even described it as "high treason".

Czech President Milos Zemani (L) meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, 09 May 2015. EPA/ALEXEY NIKOLSKY / RIA NOVOSTI Deliberate devilry vs genuine conviction

Given the outcry, it may seem surprising that such a wily political operator as Zeman would contemplate such a piece of constitutional overreach, especially since his relationship with BIS is hardly close. Five times he has refused to promote Koudelka to the rank of general, despite the government's urging.

To some, this has again stirred up suspicions that he is in some ways 'in the Russians' pocket' and was hoping to gain some information for...