We are pleased to announce the winner of this year’s Intelligence History Book Prize. The committee was able to assess submissions on a wide range of topics. Based on the pre-set criteria, the committee decided to recognized three books as honourable mentions, and one as this year‘s winner.
The winner of the 2026 Intelligence History Book Prize:
Sandra Araújo: Spying on Muslims in Colonial Mozambique, 1964–74 (Bloomsbury, 2025), https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/spying-on-muslims-in-colonial-mozambique-196474-9781350378674/
This groundbreaking study of late Portuguese imperial intelligence and counter-insurgency is based on archival research and oral histories from northern Mozambique. Araújo examines how the Portuguese colonial state—particularly the PIDE and intelligence centralization services (SCCIM)—monitored and manipulated local Muslim populations via civic action and psychological warfare during the liberation war (1964–1974).
Sandra responded to the news with this statement: „Thank you very much for this wonderful news! I am absolutely thrilled and deeply honoured that Spying on Muslims in Colonial Mozambique, 1964–74 has been awarded the Intelligence History Book Prize 2026. Please convey my warmest thanks to the prize committee for their generous assessment of the book. It means a great deal to have my work recognized by the Intelligence History community, and I am only sorry that I will not be in Washington to hear the announcement in person.“
The honourable mentions are (in alphabetical order):
Aviva Guttmann: Operation Wrath of God: The Secret History of European Intelligence and Mossad’s Assassination Campaign (Cambridge University Press, 2025)
Stephen C. Mercado: Japanese Spy Gear and Special Weapons: How Noborito’s Scientists and Technicians Served in the Second World War and the Cold War (Pen & Sword Military, 2025)
Damien Van Puyvelde: The DGSE: A Concise History of France’s Foreign Intelligence Service (Georgetown University Press, 2026)
The Intelligence History book prize is for any book on intelligence history and is awarded yearly since 2024. All entries must be based on sound and accurate historical research in the field of intelligence history, encouraging further exploration of the historical past from antiquity to contemporary history; research can cover any geographic region. Nominations are expected to make a significant contribution to the field. The prize money is 1.000 EUR, sponsored by the International Intelligence History Association.