It's just simply not true that it would be considered an act of war - quite the opposite it was known that everyone was up to it.
The UK had a intelligence asset in the German finance ministry during the 90s according to Richard Tomlinson. When he was going around Europe after his falling out with the SIS (the real MI6) Germany offered him residence if he gave up the person. France was perfectly willing to give him a home in return for information.
Now what there has been a long tradition of is bad things happening to those engaged in espionage. There's a reason conventions on conflict exempt spies, agents provocateurs and franc-tireurs from decent treatment.
The more modern examples would be the downing of the US EP-3E on Hainan Island, the USS Pueblo, the USSR trying to sink NATO submarines in their territorial waters.
You were never living in a free world if you term it to be being immune to the actions of a power if it decided to turns its attentions to you. The question is will any foreign power ever actually care about you? And if it did what would it do?
Because this is where the cassus belli part comes it - your safety is pretty guaranteed. Britain has after all gone to war over a ship captain's ear historically. Italy more recently stood up the USA over the rendition of its suspects. Foreign governments spy to collect information to their own advantage, not to affect your life individually.
The UK had a intelligence asset in the German finance ministry during the 90s according to Richard Tomlinson. When he was going around Europe after his falling out with the SIS (the real MI6) Germany offered him residence if he gave up the person. France was perfectly willing to give him a home in return for information.
Now what there has been a long tradition of is bad things happening to those engaged in espionage. There's a reason conventions on conflict exempt spies, agents provocateurs and franc-tireurs from decent treatment.
The more modern examples would be the downing of the US EP-3E on Hainan Island, the USS Pueblo, the USSR trying to sink NATO submarines in their territorial waters.
You were never living in a free world if you term it to be being immune to the actions of a power if it decided to turns its attentions to you. The question is will any foreign power ever actually care about you? And if it did what would it do?
Because this is where the cassus belli part comes it - your safety is pretty guaranteed. Britain has after all gone to war over a ship captain's ear historically. Italy more recently stood up the USA over the rendition of its suspects. Foreign governments spy to collect information to their own advantage, not to affect your life individually.