MILITARY INTELLIGENCE 5 (MI5)
THE SECURITY SERVICE
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OVERVIEW

REQUIRED: MI5 Logo
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".

EQUIVALENT INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

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)

ABOUT THE ORGANISATION

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. It would be nice to get hold of a picture (but I hear that special dispensation might be required to publish it). [A more detailed description of Thames House may follow soon]
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.

ACTIVITIES

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.

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Last updated:
31/08/96