OSINFO - Open Sources Information

EXCLUSIVE RECRUITS HIT RECORD 10 SIGN UP PER WEEK EVEN KIDS TARGETED

ROOKIE spies are being recruited by MI5 at the rate of ten a WEEK, The People can reveal.

And the 500 signed up by Britain's Security Service in the last 12 months is a peacetime record.

Agents from ethnic families fluent in languages like Arabic are desperately needed to hunt down the 4,000 al-Qaida-linked fanatics thought to be in the UK.

Others are being trained to combat Russian spies and to man MI5's eight new secret regional HQs.

A top Whitehall security source said: "MI5 is particularly keen to recruit from ethnic backgrounds.

"And the Service offers some great career opportunities as long as you are happy not to talk about your job."

Spymasters are even offering primary school children lessons in undercover work through special kids' pages on the MI5 website. Teachers can download educational aids so pupils can learn about invisible ink, espionage history and gadgetry of the type supplied by "Q" in the Bond movies.

MI5 had 1,850 staff when New York's twin towers were flattened by Osama bin Laden's suicide squads seven years ago.

Now there are 3,500 and that is planned to expand to 4,100 by 2011.

Sunita, a £28,600-ayear mobile surveillance specialist at MI5's Thames House London base, said: "Every day is different.

"I've always been interested in keeping fit, driving, the outdoors and travel.

"But I never thought all these could be found in one job."

nigel.nelson@people.co.uk