[Xelbair]

Spying, by it very definition, is an illegal act.

It might've been legal(i doubt it) to spy on foreign person on foreign soil inside (another) foreign embassy according to US law... but that doesn't matter at all when it comes to both Ecuadorean law and UK law.

USA is not a world police, nor is ultimate force of good that all good counters bow to.

[furyg3]

This can't be overstressed. Spies are, by the nature of their work, criminals. Even if their presence and activities are known by friendly countries (e.g. CIA operating in UK), they are usually operating outside the host countries legal system.

This is why rule #1 of spying is: don't get caught.