Back on April 1st, an Enigma machine was stolen from the museum at Bletchly Park, in England. The machine, a rare type of code machine used by WWII German intelligence, is valued at 100,000 pounds British Sterling. Now the museum has received a mysterious letter from someone offering to return the machine for �10,000. The letter, which was called "the most significant development in the investigation" was apparently typed on a wartime typewriter and written in an unusual style which may or may not hold clues as to the whereabouts of the machine. The letter was also signed with a word that does not exist in the English language, but police refuse to say what that word is. Police, who once were baffled by the theft, are now using codebreakers to try to determine the location of the stolen code machine.

This stuff is better than fiction.

Apparently, the machine was stolen and then sold to a third party, who was unaware of the machine's hot status. Now that as yet unidentified third party wants to return it for the �10,000. The letter purports to be from a middle man representing the current owner, and is considered authentic because it contains a photocopy of the number plate, G312, which was attached to the machine.

In other news from England, a former British spy named David Shayler was granted bail after being charged with breaching the Official Secrets Act. Shayler allegedly wrote a newspaper article in 1997 in which he stated that MI5 kept files on prominent British politicians and celebrities, including John Lennon. Shaylor, who recently returned to Britain after three years of exile in Paris, will plead not guilty to the charges at a later hearing, according to his lawyer.

Canadian police are investigating whether American and Israeli spies used rigged software to hack into Canada's top secret intelligence files. The software, named Promis, was developed to assist prosecutors in the US Department of Justice, which was the center of a scandal about ten years ago. The software may have been rigged with a "trap- door," allowing unauthorized access to sensitive information. The software is in use by Canada's spy service and the Mounties.

Perhaps someone will get Dudley Doright's hat size?

That's all for this month. Have a happy Halloween and I hope the spooks don't visit you.

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