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The remit of MI5 is internal security
and intelligence gathering. Traditionally this has meant they have concentrated
on threats to "National Security". What exactly constitutes a
threat to national security is something which has been the focus of constant
reinterpretation since the end of the cold war. Initially this lead to an
expansion of the role of MI5 to include counter terrorism. However more
recently, since the IRA cease-fire (not that the IRA is the only terrorist
threat to the UK, and not that the IRA cease-fire seems to be holding),
MI5 has been searching for a new role. Currently efforts include a proposed
expansion into intelligence gathering in areas traditionally managed by
the Police such as drug trafficking and other serious and organised crime.
Their moto is "Regnum Defende" (derived from the directive issued
to the Service in 1952 by the then Home Secretary David Maxwell Fyfe).
It has been pointed out (to
me) that as MI5's role is threats to national security (and more recently,
serious organised crime), the organisation is more analogous to that of
a national Police / Investigative force in other countries.
Federal Bureau of Invesgitation
(FBI): US national serious crime bureau.
Russian FSB
Canadian Security and Intelligence Service
(CSIS)
Dutch Binnenlandse Veiligheidsdienst
(BVD)- Internal Security
Service
MI5 is based in
London, in Thames House, on Millbank. The offices aren't new, and have been
occupied by several other government departments before they were allocated
to MI5. They have however been extensively refurbished to include a multi-gym
and squash courts.
Around 2,000 people work for
MI5. Information from The Telegraph (11/1/96). In the Sunday Times (14/04/96),
the figure is quoted as being around 1,850 (having fallen recently from
2,150 at the end of the cold war).
Money! The total budget of
the Security Services in the UK (ie MI5, MI6 and GCHQ) is put at around
£800 million (after recent Treasury cut-backs of 10%), again the Sunday
Times (14/04/96).
A report in The Telegraph
(26/06/95) reveals that Mrs Stella Rimington, MI5's first female Director-General
is to step down from her £92,000 job early in 1996. Mrs Rimington,
60, joined the security service in 1969, and has been the Director-General
since 1992.
UPDATE: Mrs Stella Rimington stepped down on April 15th, 1996.
Mr Stephen Lander has been
appointed as the new director-general of MI5 taking over from Mrs Stella
Rimington, reports The Telegraph (24/11/95). Mr Lander, 48, joined MI5 in
1975. He was attached to MI6 for two years working in Near East and North
Africa department. His previous roles in MI5 include Director of "T
branch" 1989-1994, concerned with counter terrorism. His most recent
job was Director of Corporate Affairs (IT and strategic planning). Source:
The Telegraph 09/04/96.
How to apply for a job with
MI5:
MI5 has published a glossy brochure aimed at graduate high flyers. Once
agents were recruited over a quiet sherry in an Oxbridge college tutorial,
these days things are more formal. The 12-page booklet contains profiles
of graduates who have recently joined the service, and pictures of its plush
headquarters on the banks of the Thames. The booklet tells potential applicants
that they would work against terrorists, foreign spies orperating in Britain,
or those seeking to obtain weapons of mass destruction. In his introduction,
Mr Lander says he needs "intelligent, balanced, committed and trustworthy
staff." Graduate entrants can expect a starting salary ranging between
£14,900-£20,000. The booklet also emphasises the drawbacks;
Working in MI5 is about quiet satisfaction, you may celebrate success with
your colleagues, but not your friends. Those who work with the service are
advised not to tell anyone other than their spouse or parents. Applicants
are left in no doubt that secrecy is paramount: "If you are interested
in joining, it may be sensible to be circumspect about who you tell. If
you start being discreet now, it will make it easier for you if you become
a member of the service."
Reported in the Sunday Times 21/04/96.
It has been widely reported
in the media that senior members of the Police are unhappy about the proposed
expansion of the role of MI5 to include intelligence gathering on organised
crime. However, despite some concern over the controls it seems likely that
the MI5 remit will be expanded now the new Security Service Bill has received
MP's backing.
UPDATE: An addition to the Bill was added, that states MI5 should be involved
only in a supporting role to a Police investigation.
The
Speaker of the House of Commons, Betty Boothroyd MP, revealed how she was
approached by both the KGB and MI5 to spy for them during the cold war.
She had informed MI5 when she was approached by the KGB to spy for them,
but MI5 seemed more interested in recruiting her to spy on a group of left-wing
Labour MPs. The Sunday Times (18/02/96).
Make of this what you will...
It's be alledged that MI5 have been assisted in their intelligence efforts
by a clairvoyant, Chris Robinson. He is said to have supplied the intelligence
services with information about possible targets of IRA bombs. When he dreams
of dogs this is said to symbolise the IRA. This follows a disclosure that
the American intelligence agencies have empolyed psychics (or remote viewers)
over an extended period. A senior security official is quoted as saying
"The service does not make use of psychics or similar. Any letters
to the service's PO Box would normally receive an acknowledgement. You can
read between the lines, no doubt." The article alledging this appeared
in the Sunday Times 17/03/96. As I said, make of it what you will...
Two reports, one from MI5
and one from Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee (set up to
oversee MI5, MI6 and GCHQ), said that Russian espionage was a growing threat.
The MI5 report said "although the level of the threat is no longer
the same, spying continues." Both the SVR, the Russian civilian agency,
and the GRU military intelligence service, have renewed their efforts to
post intelligence officers to London. The MI5 report also gave details about
how the organisations resources are currently targeted: 39% at Irish and
domestic counter-terrorism; 33% at International terrorism; 25% towards
counter-espionage; 3% at counter-subversion. The parliamentary committee's
first report also expressed concern about how much damage might have been
done to UK Intelligence interests by Aldrich Ames, the CIA agent who betrayed
American spies to the Russians. The Telegraph 29/03/96.
MI5 is seeking new powers
to tap conversations on digital mobile phones. The new phones have a "rolling"
encryption code which can pose a serious challenge for the sophisticated
computerised decoding techniques used by the intelligence agencies. The
conversations could however be easily intercepted if access was granted
to the encryption keys, which are only known by the telephone companies.
MI5 and the Anti-Terrorist Branch are urging the DTI to grant such access.
The plan is to license a "trusted third party", probably a banking
organisation, to hold the encryption keys, thus maintaining the confidentiality
of the information. The same safeguards which currently apply to taping
phones and opening mail would then apply if MI5 or the Police required a
key. A warrant would have to be obtained, and access would only be given
to the specific key, and thus the specific mobile phone required.
The security risk, of terrorists and organised criminals using the phones
for secure communications, has risen significantly with the increased use
of the phones in the last 12 months. More than 40 countries are now linked
into the GSM system, allowing potentially untappable telephone calls around
the world. Reported in The Times 07/08/96.
