Isdal Woman

The other investigation

Police investigation into identity of Isdal Woman was, up to a point, influenced by other investigation that took place, the one that was conducted by Norwegian counter-intelligence unit. In 1970 Cold War was at its height and plenty of spies were trying to give their side advantage in case of open conflict. Norway was no exception, as NATO member and country geographically close to Soviet Union, they were targeted by Soviet military espionage.

 - The other investigation



Isdal Woman, due to her suspicious movements around Norway, using fake passports and identities, using wigs to change appearance and mysterious death, became target for the counter-intelligence unit. Their investigation, unlike the one conducted by police, was concentrating not on the death of Isdal Woman, but on seeking links between her and potential espionage network in Norway. Their investigation also shown no hard evidence that would link her to Soviet or other foreign intelligence services, so it was closed withing three weeks, even though they did not follow some important leads.

There was however one important detail that put Isdal Woman in the cross-hair of anti-espionage agents - the Penguin missile. The Penguin anti-ship missile was designed and manufactured in Norway weapon that in 1970 was something Soviets would watch closely. Norway was the country that, in case of Cold War turning into open conflict, would be the first to face the Soviet Navy in Northern Sea, so for Soviets it was vital to learn as much details about that weapon as possible. Penguin was using passive infra-red technology to find targets, which was at this point in time something Soviet Navy should worry about, because there was no technology to jam this weapon (fool its detector).

What this got to do with Isdal Woman? Penguin missile was undergoing trials in 1970 and her movements around Norway, according to Norwegian sources, would suggest that she was in some way interested in that particular weapon. This was supported by another bit of information that police learned about Isdal Woman - she was seen by a fisherman in Stavanger, where some of the Penguin missile trials took place, talking to a navy officer on the shoreline. The fisherman did not hear what they were talking about, nor he saw who that officer was, but found it odd that the woman was there when security measures were taken during that time to keep trials a secret.





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