Counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism organizations
Encyclopedia
Counterintelligence
, and closely related counterterrorism
, may well be a source of positive intelligence on the opposition's priorities and thinking, not just a defensive measure. Still, foreign intelligence capability is an important part of early warning. Not all nations maintain offensive counterespionage and counterterrorism capability, and, of course, not all countries can have a worldwide presence.. "Charles Burton Marshall wrote that his college studies failed to teach him about espionage, the role of intelligence services, or the role of propaganda. "States’ propensities for leading double lives—having at once forensic and efficient policies, one sort for display, the other to be pursued—were sloughed over." This window into the “double lives” of states of which Marshall wrote is a less familiar dimension of CI work, one that national security decisionmakers and scholars alike have largely neglected.
inferred from Marshall's remark, "the positive intelligence that counter-intelligence may supply—that is, how and to what ends governments use the precious resources that their intelligence services represent—can help inform the underlying [national] foreign and defense policy debate, but only if our policy leadership is alert enough to appreciate the value of such insights." She emphasizes that CI is directed not at all hostile actions against one's own countries, but those originated by foreign intelligence services (FIS), a term of art that includes transnational and non-national adversaries.
Nations have different structure for counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism organizations. There will usually be separate civilian and military organizations. The civilian side may be split by foreign and domestic responsibilities, or by intelligence versus law enforcement responsibility.
Other countries also deal with the proper organization of defenses against FIS, often with separate services with no common authority below the head of government.
The counter-terrorism
page primarily deals with special police or military organizations that carry out arrest or direct combat with terrorists. This page is intended to deal with the other aspects of counter-terrorism: the national authority over it, identification and monitoring of threats, clandestine and covert interference with their internal organization (and detection of and interference with their finances), and warning of planned attacks. A final category is mitigation of incidents, which may be the organization that also deals with major accidents and natural disasters.
(ASIS). Australia belongs to the Five Powers Defense Arrangement (FPDA) of Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia, which appears to be concerned primarily with counter-terrorism. In addition, Australia is a member of the UKUSA agreement for sharing communications intelligence.
(ASIO) is the domestic security agency, which, following the British model, has no police powers. Due to this, it operates closely with the Australian Federal Police or with State and Territory police forces. The Australian anti-terrorism legislation, 2004
gave ASIO the authority to have police detain suspects without charge to enable their interrogation by ASIO officers, with severe penalties for those who reveal that questioning or detention has taken place. This change generated controversy over the balance between security and civil liberties, as it does in many countries.
Principally, counter terrorism is seen as a police responsibility, coordinated principally by the Ministry of the Interior, with some work in the Ministry of Justice. Either the police or a federal magistrate do investigations.
of terrorism. The Financial Information Processing Unit, an independent agency
supervised by the Finance and Justice Ministries, collects and analyzes financial data
about possible terrorist linkages. The Treasury, part of the Federal Public Finance
Department, is responsible for freezing assets belonging to terrorists. In addition,
Belgium is a member of the international Financial Action Task Force on Money
Laundering, a 31-country organization formed by the G-7 in 1989 to combat money
laundering.
the civilian intelligence agency — the State Security and General Intelligence Service
under the Ministry of Justice.
Four agencies have some anti-terrorism role:
(CSIS), which is also responsible for personnel security clearances.
The military is served by the Intelligence Branch (Canadian Forces)
. Communications Security Establishment
does collect SIGINT, and is Canada's only acknowledged foreign intelligence collection agency beyond the tactical intelligence units of the military.
was once the principal counter-intelligence agency, but most functions transferred to CSIS. Recently, however, some activities are back in the RCMP Security Service
(DST), which may work with the Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure
(DGSE), foreign intelligence service.
prosecution to prevent terrorist acts and to identify and neutralize potential terrorists.
(BND) under the Federal Chancellory and Militärischer Abschirmdienst
(MAD) is responsible for strategic-level preparation of military forces against all threats for which they are responsible.
(Federal Criminal Police Office), a Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) serves as Germany’s central office for tracking money laundering as well as a main contact point with foreign authorities concerning financial crime.
In the financial area, new measures against money laundering were announced
in October 2001. A new office within the Ministry of the Interior was charged with collecting and analyzing information contained in financial disclosures. Procedures were set up to better enforce asset seizure and forfeiture laws. German authorities were given wider latitude in accessing financial data of terrorist groups. Steps were taken to curb international money laundering and improve bank customer screening procedures. The Federal Criminal Police Office set up an independent unit responsible for the surveillance of suspicious financial flows. Measures to prevent
money laundering now include the checking of electronic databases to ensure that
banks are properly screening their clients’ business relationships and that they are
meeting the requirement to set up internal monitoring systems.
In seeking to dry up the sources of terrorist financing
, recent regulations aim to
strengthen Germany’s own capabilities, as well as German cooperation with
international efforts.
Under the oversight of the German Federal Banking Supervisory Office, banks, financial service providers and others must monitor all financial flows for illegal activity. Germany was the first country to implement an EU guideline against money laundering as well as the recommendations of the
Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF).
Constitution (BfV) is given authority to track any activities of extremist groups that
seek to foment ideological or religious strife domestically.
The Federal Police
, also on airliners
The most important law enforcement authorities are the Federal Criminal Police Office
(BKA) and the German Federal Police
, both under the
Ministry of the Interior, and the Federal Public Prosecutor General (GBA). Post-
9/11, the BKA has the authority to lead its own investigations, replacing the former
system which required a formal request from the BfV.
with prosecution of terrorist offenses. A Criminal Senate within the Federal Court
of Justice deals with national security measures and is responsible for ruling on
complaints of investigative abuse, under the Courts Constitution Act.
Council of Ministers (or cabinet), headed by the President of the Council (the Prime
Minister) is the supreme, collective decision-making body in the Italian government.
Protecting domestic security and combating terrorism involves a coordinated effort
by the main governmental ministries.
Within the Prime Minister’s office exists a Political-Military Unit that reports
directly to the Prime Minister. The members of the Unit are the senior
representatives of all government departments and agencies responsible for
combating terrorism and protecting the population throughout Italy. Italian officials
assert that the Political-Military Unit’s role, powers, and responsibilities have been
strengthened further post–September 11. Among other measures since then, the Unit
has: updated the national emergency plan to deal with any chemical, biological,
radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) incidents, coordinated action plans and operations
relating to transport safety and bio-terrorism; and sought to enhance both civil and
military preemptive measures against terrorism.
Minister; other statutory members are the ministers for the Interior, Defense, Foreign
Affairs, Justice, and Economy and Finance; the heads of the intelligence services and
other ministers or government officials may be invited to participate as required.
financing and customs policy.
government ministry on counterterrorism policy, public order and security,
immigration and border controls, and civil protection.
Within the Interior Ministryn, the Public Security Department directs and manages the national police force and is
responsible for implementing the public order and security policy; the Civil Liberty
and Immigration Department sets immigration and asylum policy; and the Fire
Brigade, Public Aid, and Civil Defense Department has the lead on setting
emergency preparedness and response policy, including for terrorist incidents.
Several other government ministries may also play a role in different aspects of
combating terrorism and homeland security affairs; these include the Defense
Ministry, the Health Ministry, and the Infrastructure and Transport Ministry.
Chaired by the Interior Minister, The Public Order and Security Committee
examines every issue relative to the protection of public order and security and to the
organization of the police forces. Other key
members are the Chief of Police/Director General of Public Security (who heads the
Interior Ministry’s Public Security Department), and a Council of Ministers’
undersecretary with special responsibility for the intelligence services (this
undersecretary is designated by the Prime Minister). The heads of Italy’s other police
forces also take part in the Public Order and Security Committee, and additional
ministers may be involved depending on the particular issue to be discussed.
The Interior Ministry has ministerial
responsibility for Italy’s Polizia di Stato (State Police), or national police force. At
the central government level, the Interior Ministry’s Public Security Department
coordinates the tasks and activities of the Polizia di Stato. At the provincial level,
the top public security authorities are the prefect, who is appointed by and answerable to the central government, and the questore, or the senior provincial official of the
Polizia di Stato. Each questore has operational control of the provincial police
headquarters, which has jurisdiction in the field of public order, security, and
criminal and intelligence matters. There are also Polizia di Stato officials at the local
level in charge of detached police stations.
Other relevant
specialist police units are the traffic police, which patrol Italy’s roads and highways;
the railway police, which ensure the security of travelers and their belongings on
Italy’s railway system, the security of railway stations, and control of dangerous
goods transported by rail; the immigration and border police, which are responsible
for the entry and stay of foreign nationals and immigrants in Italy, as well as the
prevention and control of illegal immigrants; and the postal and communications
police, which seek to prevent and tackle the illegal use of communication
technologies (for example, computer hackers and computer viruses). The
police air service and the nautical squads perform services ranging from mountain
or sea rescues to contributing to the fight against illegal immigration by patrolling the
national coasts and other points of entry.
combating terrorism and protecting different aspects of Italian homeland security.
The anti-terrorism police, at both the central and provincial level, have primary
responsibility for investigations aimed at preventing and fighting terrorism, including
the collection and analysis of information related to terrorist offenses.
Also within the Prime Minister’s office is the Department of Civil Protection,
which is responsible at the national level for prevention, preparedness, and
coordination of responses to both natural and man-made disasters. This Department
coordinates Italy’s “National Service” for civil protection, which consists of central,
regional, provincial, and local (or municipal) state administrations, public agencies,
and voluntary organizations. This national service system operates on the principle
of subsidiarity. In the event of an emergency, primary responsibility for managing
the response falls on the local mayor. If the resources at the disposal of the mayor
are insufficient, support may be drawn from provincial, regional, or national assets.
Military assets can also be used to assist with a large-scale emergency, including
those with a CBRN dimension. Any military forces deployed, however, would be
under the command of the civil authorities.
Italy also has a military corps, or Carabinieri, that carries out police duties
among its civilian population. The Italian Carabinieri is similar to France’s
Gendarmerie, or Spain’s Guardia Civil. The Carabinieri has an elite counterterrorism
unit with the authority to combat domestic and international terrorism; it is
empowered to gather intelligence, investigate terrorist organizations, and respond to
high-risk situations or instances in which military installations are under threat.
Institutionally, the Carabinieri are responsible primarily to the Ministry of Defense
and the Ministry of Interior, although various specialist departments may also report
to different government ministries, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on issues
such as the protection of Italian diplomatic institutions abroad.64
Italy has two main intelligence and security services engaged in the fight against
terrorism. The Military Intelligence and Security Service (SISMI) reports directly to
the Minister of Defense and fulfills all intelligence and security tasks for the defense
of the state’s independence and integrity against any danger on the military front; it
has both counterespionage and counter-intelligence duties. The Democratic
Intelligence and Security Service (SISDE) reports directly to the Minister of the
Interior and has responsibility for intelligence and security tasks related to the
defense of the democratic state and its institutions against all forms of subversion
The division of responsibilities between SISMI and SISDE is based on the interests
to be protected (military and democratic security), rather than on a territorial basis
(domestic and international security). The directors of SISMI and SISDE have
operational control over their respective services.
The main instrument for coordinating the work of the two services and for
advising the Prime Minister and other government officials on intelligence priorities
is the Executive Committee for the Intelligence and Security Services (CESIS).
CESIS is strategic in nature; it analyzes the intelligence provided by the services as
well as the police and presents coordinated assessments to the government. Some
have likened CESIS to the U.S. National Intelligence Council, or the UK’s Joint
Intelligence Committee. Italy has also created a Committee for Strategic Anti-
Terrorism Analysis (CASA) within the Interior Ministry to collate and evaluate
intelligence about potential threats and provide early warning. CASA is composed
of representatives of all law enforcement bodies and the secret services, and seeks to
break down institutional barriers among these bodies; it appears to be similar to the
U.S. National Counter Terrorism Center or the UK’s Joint Intelligence Analysis
Center
(RAW), which reports to the Prime Minister.
is the domestic intelligence service. India's lead police agency is the Central Bureau of Investigation
. As opposed to the British Security Service
and US FBI, its jurisdiction is much more restricted, with state police agencies often taking the lead.
, although military units will carry out specific counterterrorism actions. There are some standing military special operations forces, such as Sayeret Matkal
, but ad hoc task forces were assembled for major operations such as the 1976 Entebbe
rescue.
Mossad, on foreign intelligence, also works with Aman, the military intelligence service.
special police unit,
(SIS)
(FSB). Under the Soviet Union, the Committee for State Security
(KGB) was the main security agency.
Counter Intelligence Agency
(SACIA) - South Africa
The Counter Intelligence Agency (SACIA) of South Africa was established in 2010 to develop Industrial fraud prevention and counter intelligence measures in Africa. Presently there is an industrial legislation bill one the way to prevent industrial espionage in South Africa. The organizations main collaboration is with Governments, industrial organization and law enforcement.The organization is non-accessible to public.
(Säpo) is the domestic intelligence and counterterrorism organization, under the Swedish National Police Board.
supports the UK ministerial committee system by coordinating policy and strategy across government departments, and as such, has a role in bringing together department ministers, officials, and others involved in homeland security affairs and counterterrorism. The Cabinet Secretariat, which sits in the Cabinet Office, largely manages the day-to-day business of the Cabinet committees and is divided into six individual secretariats that
support the different Cabinet committees.
A Security and Intelligence Coordinator within the Cabinet Office is directly responsible to the Prime Minister and is tasked with coordinating and developing, across all government departments,
work on counterterrorism and crisis management. The Security and Intelligence Coordinator plays a key role in setting priorities and budgets for the intelligence services.
In April 2004, the British government unveiled a new comprehensive, cross-departmental
Counterterrorism Strategy (known as CONTEST) centered on the “4Ps” of prevent, pursue, protect, and prepare. Prevention work seeks to address the underlying causes of terrorism both at home and abroad; pursuit efforts aim to disrupt terrorist organizations and their ability to operate; protection measures focus on protecting the public, critical national infrastructure, and key sites at particular risk; preparedness work aims to enable the UK to respond and recover from the consequences of a terrorist attack. The “4Ps” seek to give greater coherence to UK
counterterrorism measures and take advantage of existing expertise and resources throughout the UK government.
against terrorism. The Secret Intelligence Service
(SIS, or MI6), the UK’s foreign
intelligence service, gathers intelligence overseas. The Government
Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) provides signals intelligence to counter a
range of threats, including terrorism, and is also the national technical authority for
information assurance, helping to keep data residing on government communication
and information systems safe from theft, manipulation, and other threats. Both MI6
and GCHQ operate under the statutory authority of the Foreign Secretary, although
neither is part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The Joint Intelligence Committee
(JIC), part of the Cabinet Office, advises on intelligence priorities. Like the US National Intelligence Council
, the JIC, is intended to improve intelligence-sharing and cooperation
against terrorism further among the UK’s different law enforcement and intelligence
agencies.
although the Treasury ministry has the lead in the fight against terrorist financing.
The Department for Transport’s Transport Security and Contingencies Directorate is responsible for the security of the traveling public and transport facilities through regulation of the aviation, maritime, and railway industries.
, which would be called the Interior Ministry in many European countries, is the government department that has the lead on several aspects of homeland security affairs, including counterterrorism policy within the UK.
The Security Service
(MI5) is responsible for the protection of
national security against threats from espionage, sabotage, and terrorism. MI5
operates under the statutory authority of the Home Secretary, although it is not part
of the Home Office.
It is the focal point for the response to the terrorist threat, both through promulgation of legislative measures and counter-terrorist contingency planning. It is also responsible for domestic security policies, planning for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) incidents, and the national counterterrorism exercise program.
The Home Office also has the lead on setting immigration and asylum policy, and ministerial responsibility for the UK immigration service, which controls entry and exit to the UK at air, sea, land, and rail ports and identifies, monitors, and removes immigration offenders.
The Home Secretary is a member of the full Defence and Overseas Policy ministerial committee,
deputy chair of the DOP’s international terrorism subcommittee, and chair of the DOP’s protective security and resilience subcommittee. The Home Secretary also chairs the Civil Contingencies Committee and sits on the Intelligence Services ministerial committee.
Policing in the UK is largely
decentralized. The Home Office has ministerial responsibility for the police services
in England and Wales. The Scottish Ministry of Justice has ministerial responsibility
for policing in Scotland, while the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland sets policy
for policing there. Operational control, however, of all of the police services in
England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland rests with the chief constable of each
force. Currently, there are 43 regional police forces in England and Wales, and eight
in Scotland; the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is responsible for policing
in Northern Ireland. In England, Wales, and Scotland, these regional police forces
have primary responsibility for the investigation of terrorist offenses; the PSNI has
lead responsibility for terrorist investigations related to the affairs of Northern
Ireland. Each police force also has its own Special Branch, which works in
partnership with the Security Service (MI5), the UK’s domestic security service, to
acquire intelligence on those who may be involved in terrorism. The Metropolitan
Police (Scotland Yard) has responsibility for London and also has various specialist
units, such as those that deal with anti-terrorism, that may be called upon to fulfill a
national role.
In addition to the regional forces, there are a few other British police forces that
may play a role in homeland security affairs. The British Transport Police (BTP)
police the railway systems of England, Wales, and Scotland; the BTP is also responsible for policing some metro and commuter systems, including the London
Underground. The Department of Transport has ministerial responsibility over the BTP. The Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) is an armed police force that protects
civil nuclear installations and nuclear materials in the UK; it operates under the
strategic direction of the Department of Trade and Industry.
Although the police and security services have the primary role in domestic protection against terrorism, the armed forces may be called upon domestically in the event of a major terrorist incident requiring military units with specialized skills (such as the Special Forces hostage rescue commandos or those trained to deal with CBRN events). There is a formal turnover of authority from a police organization to the military for a rescue operation, such as the Special Air Service
intervention in the Iranian Embassy Siege
in 1980.
known as Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms
(COBR) convenes to coordinate the government’s immediate emergency response; COBR brings together the Prime Minister and other Cabinet ministers and officials.
The Joint Intelligence Analysis Center (JTAC) collates and evaluates intelligence about potential threats and provide early warning. JTAC seeks to break down institutional barriers between analysts of the different security and intelligence agencies by drawing together about 100 officials from 11 government departments and agencies, including MI5, MI6, GCHQ, the police, and the defense and transport ministries. JTAC provides both long-term studies of international
terrorism and immediate assessments of current threats; it is analogous to the U.S.
National Counter Terrorism Center. JTAC is responsible to the director-general of MI5.
for and response to emergencies.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA), a non-departmental body accountable to the Health Secretary, was
established in 2003 to help provide a coordinated and consistent public health
response to a range of national emergencies, from a disease outbreak to a terrorist
attack.
The UK armed forces may also be deployed to assist in the management of a natural disaster. The decision to deploy
the military to assist the civil authorities in an emergency would be made by COBR,
and the armed forces would have no jurisdiction outside of supporting the civil
powers. The Ministry of Defense and the armed forces are also responsible for
protecting 160 key UK sites, and for guarding UK nuclear weapons.
Several supervisory and coordinating organizations report to the President, principally the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive
(NCIX).
all gather information. Agencies variously have capabilities for collection, analysis, or both. Information is sent to the National Counterterrorism Center
, which reports to the DNI.
Certain counter-intelligence agencies to protect military forces are largely classified functions called Counterintelligence Force Protection Source Operations (CFSO). These report to military chains of command for direct support, but coordinate offensive activities through the NCS. Each major military service has a counter-intelligence function: U.S. Army Counter Intelligence, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations
(AFOSI),and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service
(NCIS), formerly (NIS). NCIS serves the US Marine Corps. NOTE: The U.S. Marine Corps also has Counterintelligence/Tactical HUMINT assets (CI/HUMINT). There is also a Defense-wide Counterintelligence Field Activity
(CIFA).
(FBI), a law enforcement service. The FBI and CIA jointly operate the National Counterterrorism Center
, although the CIA is not allowed to do field operations within the US.
The lead agency for terrorism law enforcement is the FBI, although a number of units of the Department of Homeland Security may provide support After the Oklahoma City bombing
of 19 April 1995, by Timothy McVeigh
, an American, the CI definition reasonably extends to included domestically-originated terrorism. There is also the challenge of what organizations, laws, and doctrines are relevant to protection against all sorts of terrorism in one's own country. See Counter-intelligence Force Protection Source Operations for a discussion of special considerations of protection of government personnel and facilities, both in the US and internationally.
Immigration services, formerly under the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) transferred from the Department of Justice to the Department of Homeland Security in March 2003.
The administration of immigration services, including permanent residence, naturalization, asylum, and other functions became the responsibility of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), which existed only for a short time before changing to its current name, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The investigative and enforcement functions (including investigations, deportation, and intelligence) were combined with U.S. Customs investigators, the Federal Protective Service
, and the Federal Air Marshal Service
, to create U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
(ICE).
The border functions of the INS, which included the Border Patrol along with INS Inspectors, were combined with U.S. Customs Inspectors into the newly created U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(CBP).
, reporting to the Director of National Intelligence receives information from intelligence agencies and law enforcement, does threat analysis, and disseminates as appropriate. It may issue
's National Clandestine Service (NCS), which formerly was the CIA Directorate of Operations. The former Defense HUMINT Service is under the NCS.
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
(FinCEN), in the Department of the Treasury
, is the clearinghouse for banks and other institutions' reporting of suspected money laundering, terrorist financing, etc. In general, if there is a matter to be prosecuted, the FBI will take the case.
operations paradigm, which scales from local level to the National Incident Management System
/National Response Plan
.
DHS organizations involved in mitigation include the Federal Emergency Management Agency
, National Communications System
and US Coast Guard
. National Guard units, variously federalized, used by agreement between states, or in their own states, are a major resource, especially for large disasters.
Counter-intelligence
Counterintelligence or counter-intelligence refers to efforts made by intelligence organizations to prevent hostile or enemy intelligence organizations from successfully gathering and collecting intelligence against them. National intelligence programs, and, by extension, the overall defenses of...
, and closely related counterterrorism
Counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
, may well be a source of positive intelligence on the opposition's priorities and thinking, not just a defensive measure. Still, foreign intelligence capability is an important part of early warning. Not all nations maintain offensive counterespionage and counterterrorism capability, and, of course, not all countries can have a worldwide presence.. "Charles Burton Marshall wrote that his college studies failed to teach him about espionage, the role of intelligence services, or the role of propaganda. "States’ propensities for leading double lives—having at once forensic and efficient policies, one sort for display, the other to be pursued—were sloughed over." This window into the “double lives” of states of which Marshall wrote is a less familiar dimension of CI work, one that national security decisionmakers and scholars alike have largely neglected.
inferred from Marshall's remark, "the positive intelligence that counter-intelligence may supply—that is, how and to what ends governments use the precious resources that their intelligence services represent—can help inform the underlying [national] foreign and defense policy debate, but only if our policy leadership is alert enough to appreciate the value of such insights." She emphasizes that CI is directed not at all hostile actions against one's own countries, but those originated by foreign intelligence services (FIS), a term of art that includes transnational and non-national adversaries.
Nations have different structure for counter-intelligence and counter-terrorism organizations. There will usually be separate civilian and military organizations. The civilian side may be split by foreign and domestic responsibilities, or by intelligence versus law enforcement responsibility.
Other countries also deal with the proper organization of defenses against FIS, often with separate services with no common authority below the head of government.
The counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
page primarily deals with special police or military organizations that carry out arrest or direct combat with terrorists. This page is intended to deal with the other aspects of counter-terrorism: the national authority over it, identification and monitoring of threats, clandestine and covert interference with their internal organization (and detection of and interference with their finances), and warning of planned attacks. A final category is mitigation of incidents, which may be the organization that also deals with major accidents and natural disasters.
Australia
Australia treats terrorism with a modified law enforcement model, with the domestic intelligence agency authorized to direct the police to make secret arrests and conduct interrogations.Foreign Intelligence on Terrorist Threats
Foreign intelligence is the responsibility of the Australian Secret Intelligence ServiceAustralian Secret Intelligence Service
The Australian Secret Intelligence Service is the Australian government intelligence agency responsible for collecting foreign intelligence, undertaking counter-intelligence activities and cooperation with other intelligence agencies overseas...
(ASIS). Australia belongs to the Five Powers Defense Arrangement (FPDA) of Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia, which appears to be concerned primarily with counter-terrorism. In addition, Australia is a member of the UKUSA agreement for sharing communications intelligence.
Internal Security and Police
The Australian Security Intelligence OrganisationAustralian Security Intelligence Organisation
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation is Australia's national security service, which is responsible for the protection of the country and its citizens from espionage, sabotage, acts of foreign interference, politically-motivated violence, attacks on the Australian defence system, and...
(ASIO) is the domestic security agency, which, following the British model, has no police powers. Due to this, it operates closely with the Australian Federal Police or with State and Territory police forces. The Australian anti-terrorism legislation, 2004
Australian anti-terrorism legislation, 2004
Three anti-terrorism bills were enacted in the Australian Parliament in 2004 by a Coalition government with the Labor opposition's support. These were the Anti-terrorism bill, 2004, the Anti-terrorism bill , 2004 and the Anti-terrorism bill , 2004.-Anti-terrorism bill, 2004:The Attorney-General,...
gave ASIO the authority to have police detain suspects without charge to enable their interrogation by ASIO officers, with severe penalties for those who reveal that questioning or detention has taken place. This change generated controversy over the balance between security and civil liberties, as it does in many countries.
Belgium
The Prime Minister has direct responsibility for counter-terrorism, with the Council of Ministers setting strategic policy. A Ministerial Committee on Intelligence and Security works out detailed policies. Belgium, with due regard to domestic concern about sovereignty, takes a leadership role in European cooperation on terrorism.Principally, counter terrorism is seen as a police responsibility, coordinated principally by the Ministry of the Interior, with some work in the Ministry of Justice. Either the police or a federal magistrate do investigations.
Foreign Intelligence on Terrorist Threats
The Ministry of Justice controls the civilian intelligence agency, the State Security and General Intelligence Service, which may call on the military intelligence service under specific and limited circumstances.Measures to Interfere with Terrorist Organization
Two organizations are responsible for investigating and preventing the financingof terrorism. The Financial Information Processing Unit, an independent agency
supervised by the Finance and Justice Ministries, collects and analyzes financial data
about possible terrorist linkages. The Treasury, part of the Federal Public Finance
Department, is responsible for freezing assets belonging to terrorists. In addition,
Belgium is a member of the international Financial Action Task Force on Money
Laundering, a 31-country organization formed by the G-7 in 1989 to combat money
laundering.
Internal Security and Police
Anti-terrorism and homeland security intelligence is handled bythe civilian intelligence agency — the State Security and General Intelligence Service
under the Ministry of Justice.
Four agencies have some anti-terrorism role:
- the Department of Terrorism and Sects of the Federal Police, responsible mainly for coordinating activities relating to the Turkish Kurd issue, terrorism, and religious sects;
- the mixed anti-terrorist group, a small group, supervised by the Justice and Interior Ministries, that collects and analyzes information for the development of policy and legislation (this group has since been replaced by the OCAM/CODA);
- State Security, which handles intelligence and security matters in several areas, including terrorism, proliferation, and organized crime;
- the Terrorism and Public Order Service of the Federal Police, a deliberately low-profile group of about 40 field staff with wide-ranging responsibilities.
Warning and Coordination
A new organization, OCAM/CODA (Organe de coordination pour l’analyse de la menace/Coördinatieorgaan voor de dreigingsanalyse) does terrorist threat analysis and coordinates intelligence and police activity.Criminal Justice for Terrorists
Individual components of homeland security, counter-terrorism, and emergency management responsibilities are spread throughout the government; different agencies look at various issues; for example, one group handles threat assessment, while another one is responsible for intelligence gathering, and border control and financial questions are handled by two other ministries.Incident Mitigation
Monitoring and response to major disasters and terrorist incidents is under Governmental Coordination and Crisis Center, part of the Interior Ministry, It is one of five divisions of the Interior Ministry along with the General Directorate of Civil Defense.Foreign Intelligence on Terrorist Threats
Canada does not maintain a foreign HUMINT function, but has a strong analytic capability in the Canadian Security Intelligence ServiceCanadian Security Intelligence Service
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is Canada's national intelligence service. It is responsible for collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating intelligence on threats to Canada's national security, and conducting operations, covert and overt, within Canada and abroad.Its...
(CSIS), which is also responsible for personnel security clearances.
The military is served by the Intelligence Branch (Canadian Forces)
Intelligence Branch (Canadian Forces)
The Intelligence Branch is a personnel branch of the Canadian Forces that is concerned with providing relevant and correct information to enable commanders to make decisions.-Information:...
. Communications Security Establishment
Communications Security Establishment
The Communications Security Establishment Canada is the Canadian government's national cryptologic agency. Administered under the Department of National Defence , it is charged with the duty of keeping track of foreign signals intelligence , and protecting Canadian government electronic...
does collect SIGINT, and is Canada's only acknowledged foreign intelligence collection agency beyond the tactical intelligence units of the military.
Internal Security and Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceRoyal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
was once the principal counter-intelligence agency, but most functions transferred to CSIS. Recently, however, some activities are back in the RCMP Security Service
RCMP Security Service
The RCMP Security Service is the former branch of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police which had responsibilities of domestic intelligence and security for Canada...
Incident Mitigation
Public Safety Canada (PSC) is Canada’s national emergency management agency, with a counterpart in each province.France
France, for example, builds its domestic counterterrorism in a law enforcement framework.Foreign Intelligence on Terrorist Threats
In France, a senior anti-terrorism magistrate is in charge of defense against terrorism. French magistrates have multiple functions that overlap US and UK functions of investigators, prosecutors, and judges. An anti-terrorism magistrate may call upon France's domestic intelligence service Direction de la surveillance du territoireDirection de la surveillance du territoire
The Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire was a directorate of the French National Police operating as a domestic intelligence agency. It was responsible for counterespionage, counterterrorism and more generally the security of France against foreign threats and interference...
(DST), which may work with the Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure
Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure
The General Directorate for External Security is France's external intelligence agency. Operating under the direction of the French ministry of defence, the agency works alongside the DCRI in providing intelligence and national security, notably by performing paramilitary and counterintelligence...
(DGSE), foreign intelligence service.
Germany
German authorities rely on intelligence, law enforcement, and judicialprosecution to prevent terrorist acts and to identify and neutralize potential terrorists.
Foreign Intelligence on Terrorist Threats
Federal Intelligence ServiceBundesnachrichtendienst
The Bundesnachrichtendienst [ˌbʊndəsˈnaːχʁɪçtnˌdiːnst] is the foreign intelligence agency of Germany, directly subordinated to the Chancellor's Office. Its headquarters are in Pullach near Munich, and Berlin . The BND has 300 locations in Germany and foreign countries...
(BND) under the Federal Chancellory and Militärischer Abschirmdienst
Militärischer Abschirmdienst
The Militärischer Abschirmdienst or more officially Amt für den Militärischen Abschirmdienst , is one of the three federal intelligence agencies in Germany, responsible for military counterintelligence...
(MAD) is responsible for strategic-level preparation of military forces against all threats for which they are responsible.
Measures to Interfere with Terrorist Organization
Within the BKAFederal Criminal Police Office (Germany)
The Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany is a national investigative police agency in Germany and falls directly under the Federal Ministry of the Interior...
(Federal Criminal Police Office), a Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) serves as Germany’s central office for tracking money laundering as well as a main contact point with foreign authorities concerning financial crime.
In the financial area, new measures against money laundering were announced
in October 2001. A new office within the Ministry of the Interior was charged with collecting and analyzing information contained in financial disclosures. Procedures were set up to better enforce asset seizure and forfeiture laws. German authorities were given wider latitude in accessing financial data of terrorist groups. Steps were taken to curb international money laundering and improve bank customer screening procedures. The Federal Criminal Police Office set up an independent unit responsible for the surveillance of suspicious financial flows. Measures to prevent
money laundering now include the checking of electronic databases to ensure that
banks are properly screening their clients’ business relationships and that they are
meeting the requirement to set up internal monitoring systems.
In seeking to dry up the sources of terrorist financing
Terrorist Financing
Terrorist financing came into limelight after the events of terrorism on 9/11. The US passed the USA PATRIOT Act to, among other reasons, attempt thwarting the financing of terrorism and anti-money laundering making sure these were given some sort of adequate focus by US financial institutions...
, recent regulations aim to
strengthen Germany’s own capabilities, as well as German cooperation with
international efforts.
Under the oversight of the German Federal Banking Supervisory Office, banks, financial service providers and others must monitor all financial flows for illegal activity. Germany was the first country to implement an EU guideline against money laundering as well as the recommendations of the
Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF).
Internal Security and Police
The Federal Bureau for the Protection of theConstitution (BfV) is given authority to track any activities of extremist groups that
seek to foment ideological or religious strife domestically.
The Federal Police
Bundespolizei
Bundespolizei is German for Federal Police and may refer to:*Federal Police *Federal Police...
, also on airliners
The most important law enforcement authorities are the Federal Criminal Police Office
Federal Criminal Police Office (Germany)
The Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany is a national investigative police agency in Germany and falls directly under the Federal Ministry of the Interior...
(BKA) and the German Federal Police
Bundespolizei
Bundespolizei is German for Federal Police and may refer to:*Federal Police *Federal Police...
, both under the
Ministry of the Interior, and the Federal Public Prosecutor General (GBA). Post-
9/11, the BKA has the authority to lead its own investigations, replacing the former
system which required a formal request from the BfV.
Criminal Justice for Terrorists
The Federal Public Prosecutor General at the Federal Court of Justice is chargedwith prosecution of terrorist offenses. A Criminal Senate within the Federal Court
of Justice deals with national security measures and is responsible for ruling on
complaints of investigative abuse, under the Courts Constitution Act.
Italy
The ItalianCouncil of Ministers (or cabinet), headed by the President of the Council (the Prime
Minister) is the supreme, collective decision-making body in the Italian government.
Protecting domestic security and combating terrorism involves a coordinated effort
by the main governmental ministries.
Within the Prime Minister’s office exists a Political-Military Unit that reports
directly to the Prime Minister. The members of the Unit are the senior
representatives of all government departments and agencies responsible for
combating terrorism and protecting the population throughout Italy. Italian officials
assert that the Political-Military Unit’s role, powers, and responsibilities have been
strengthened further post–September 11. Among other measures since then, the Unit
has: updated the national emergency plan to deal with any chemical, biological,
radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) incidents, coordinated action plans and operations
relating to transport safety and bio-terrorism; and sought to enhance both civil and
military preemptive measures against terrorism.
Foreign Intelligence on Terrorist Threats
Intelligence and security policy are under the Inter-ministerial Committee for Intelligence and Security (CIIS) provides advice and makes proposals to the Prime Minister on the general direction and fundamental objectives for intelligence and security policy. The CIIS is chaired by the PrimeMinister; other statutory members are the ministers for the Interior, Defense, Foreign
Affairs, Justice, and Economy and Finance; the heads of the intelligence services and
other ministers or government officials may be invited to participate as required.
Measures to Interfere with Terrorist Organization
The Economics and Finance Ministry has the lead on stemming terroristfinancing and customs policy.
Internal Security and Police
The Ministry of the Interior is the leadgovernment ministry on counterterrorism policy, public order and security,
immigration and border controls, and civil protection.
Within the Interior Ministryn, the Public Security Department directs and manages the national police force and is
responsible for implementing the public order and security policy; the Civil Liberty
and Immigration Department sets immigration and asylum policy; and the Fire
Brigade, Public Aid, and Civil Defense Department has the lead on setting
emergency preparedness and response policy, including for terrorist incidents.
Several other government ministries may also play a role in different aspects of
combating terrorism and homeland security affairs; these include the Defense
Ministry, the Health Ministry, and the Infrastructure and Transport Ministry.
Chaired by the Interior Minister, The Public Order and Security Committee
examines every issue relative to the protection of public order and security and to the
organization of the police forces. Other key
members are the Chief of Police/Director General of Public Security (who heads the
Interior Ministry’s Public Security Department), and a Council of Ministers’
undersecretary with special responsibility for the intelligence services (this
undersecretary is designated by the Prime Minister). The heads of Italy’s other police
forces also take part in the Public Order and Security Committee, and additional
ministers may be involved depending on the particular issue to be discussed.
The Interior Ministry has ministerial
responsibility for Italy’s Polizia di Stato (State Police), or national police force. At
the central government level, the Interior Ministry’s Public Security Department
coordinates the tasks and activities of the Polizia di Stato. At the provincial level,
the top public security authorities are the prefect, who is appointed by and answerable to the central government, and the questore, or the senior provincial official of the
Polizia di Stato. Each questore has operational control of the provincial police
headquarters, which has jurisdiction in the field of public order, security, and
criminal and intelligence matters. There are also Polizia di Stato officials at the local
level in charge of detached police stations.
Other relevant
specialist police units are the traffic police, which patrol Italy’s roads and highways;
the railway police, which ensure the security of travelers and their belongings on
Italy’s railway system, the security of railway stations, and control of dangerous
goods transported by rail; the immigration and border police, which are responsible
for the entry and stay of foreign nationals and immigrants in Italy, as well as the
prevention and control of illegal immigrants; and the postal and communications
police, which seek to prevent and tackle the illegal use of communication
technologies (for example, computer hackers and computer viruses). The
police air service and the nautical squads perform services ranging from mountain
or sea rescues to contributing to the fight against illegal immigration by patrolling the
national coasts and other points of entry.
Warning and Coordination
The Polizia di Stato includes various specialist units that may play a role incombating terrorism and protecting different aspects of Italian homeland security.
The anti-terrorism police, at both the central and provincial level, have primary
responsibility for investigations aimed at preventing and fighting terrorism, including
the collection and analysis of information related to terrorist offenses.
Incident Mitigation
There is also an Inter-ministerial Committee for Civil Defense.Also within the Prime Minister’s office is the Department of Civil Protection,
which is responsible at the national level for prevention, preparedness, and
coordination of responses to both natural and man-made disasters. This Department
coordinates Italy’s “National Service” for civil protection, which consists of central,
regional, provincial, and local (or municipal) state administrations, public agencies,
and voluntary organizations. This national service system operates on the principle
of subsidiarity. In the event of an emergency, primary responsibility for managing
the response falls on the local mayor. If the resources at the disposal of the mayor
are insufficient, support may be drawn from provincial, regional, or national assets.
Military assets can also be used to assist with a large-scale emergency, including
those with a CBRN dimension. Any military forces deployed, however, would be
under the command of the civil authorities.
Italy also has a military corps, or Carabinieri, that carries out police duties
among its civilian population. The Italian Carabinieri is similar to France’s
Gendarmerie, or Spain’s Guardia Civil. The Carabinieri has an elite counterterrorism
unit with the authority to combat domestic and international terrorism; it is
empowered to gather intelligence, investigate terrorist organizations, and respond to
high-risk situations or instances in which military installations are under threat.
Institutionally, the Carabinieri are responsible primarily to the Ministry of Defense
and the Ministry of Interior, although various specialist departments may also report
to different government ministries, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on issues
such as the protection of Italian diplomatic institutions abroad.64
Italy has two main intelligence and security services engaged in the fight against
terrorism. The Military Intelligence and Security Service (SISMI) reports directly to
the Minister of Defense and fulfills all intelligence and security tasks for the defense
of the state’s independence and integrity against any danger on the military front; it
has both counterespionage and counter-intelligence duties. The Democratic
Intelligence and Security Service (SISDE) reports directly to the Minister of the
Interior and has responsibility for intelligence and security tasks related to the
defense of the democratic state and its institutions against all forms of subversion
The division of responsibilities between SISMI and SISDE is based on the interests
to be protected (military and democratic security), rather than on a territorial basis
(domestic and international security). The directors of SISMI and SISDE have
operational control over their respective services.
The main instrument for coordinating the work of the two services and for
advising the Prime Minister and other government officials on intelligence priorities
is the Executive Committee for the Intelligence and Security Services (CESIS).
CESIS is strategic in nature; it analyzes the intelligence provided by the services as
well as the police and presents coordinated assessments to the government. Some
have likened CESIS to the U.S. National Intelligence Council, or the UK’s Joint
Intelligence Committee. Italy has also created a Committee for Strategic Anti-
Terrorism Analysis (CASA) within the Interior Ministry to collate and evaluate
intelligence about potential threats and provide early warning. CASA is composed
of representatives of all law enforcement bodies and the secret services, and seeks to
break down institutional barriers among these bodies; it appears to be similar to the
U.S. National Counter Terrorism Center or the UK’s Joint Intelligence Analysis
Center
Foreign Intelligence on Terrorist Threats
The lead anti-terrorism organization is the Research and Analysis WingResearch and Analysis Wing
The Research and Analysis Wing is India's external intelligence agency. It was formed in September 1968 after the poor performance of the Intelligence Bureau in the Sino-Indian war of 1962 and the India-Pakistani war of 1965 convinced the then government of India that a specialized, independent...
(RAW), which reports to the Prime Minister.
Internal Security and Police
Domestically, the Intelligence BureauIntelligence Bureau
Intelligence Bureau was the main internal intelligence agency of British India. It can also refer to:* Intelligence Bureau , the domestic intelligence organization of India...
is the domestic intelligence service. India's lead police agency is the Central Bureau of Investigation
Central Bureau of Investigation
The Central Bureau of Investigation is a government agency of India that serves as a criminal investigation body, national security agency and intelligence agency. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941...
. As opposed to the British Security Service
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
and US FBI, its jurisdiction is much more restricted, with state police agencies often taking the lead.
Foreign Intelligence on Terrorist Threats
External and offensive counter-intelligence, counter-terrorism, and some direct action is the general responsibility of MossadMossad
The Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
, although military units will carry out specific counterterrorism actions. There are some standing military special operations forces, such as Sayeret Matkal
Sayeret Matkal
Sayeret Matkal is a special forces unit of the Israel Defence Forces , which is subordinated to the intelligence directorate Aman. First and foremost a field intelligence-gathering unit, conducting deep reconnaissance behind enemy lines to obtain strategic intelligence, Sayeret Matkal is also...
, but ad hoc task forces were assembled for major operations such as the 1976 Entebbe
Entebbe
Entebbe is a major town in Central Uganda. Located on a Lake Victoria peninsula, the town was at one time, the seat of government for the Protectorate of Uganda, prior to Independence in 1962...
rescue.
Mossad, on foreign intelligence, also works with Aman, the military intelligence service.
Internal Security and Police
Shabak is the Israeli domestic counterintelligence organization. It works with police organizations, especially the Israel Border Police (Hebrew: משמר הגבול, Mishmar HaGvul) is the combat branch of the Israeli Police, known by its Hebrew abbreviation Magav. Shabak also works with the YamamYamam
The Yamam ) is an elite Border police, not civilian Police counter-terrorism unit in Israel. The Yamam is capable of both hostage-rescue operations and offensive take-over raids against targets in civilian areas...
special police unit,
Incident Mitigation
The Home Front Command provides emergency services for major disasters and terrorist attacks.Portugal
Serviço de Informações e SegurançaSistema de Informações da República Portuguesa
The SIRP - Sistema de Informações da República Portuguesa is the coordinating structure of Portuguese intelligence....
(SIS)
Russia and former USSR
Russia, and the former USSR, did not make a clear split between foreign and domestic intelligence, as do many other nations.Foreign Intelligence on Terrorist Threats
The current intelligence service is the Federal Security ServiceFSB (Russia)
The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation is the main domestic security agency of the Russian Federation and the main successor agency of the Soviet Committee of State Security . Its main responsibilities are counter-intelligence, internal and border security, counter-terrorism, and...
(FSB). Under the Soviet Union, the Committee for State Security
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
(KGB) was the main security agency.
Internal Security and Police
There are some anti-terrorism capabilities under the Ministry of the Interior.Incident Mitigation
Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) does emergency management for natural and human-made disasters.South Africa
National Intelligence Agency (NIA) - South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
Counter Intelligence Agency
Counter Intelligence Agency
The South African Counter Intelligence Agency in South Africa is a privatized organization responsible for Collection, analysis, and production of Enhanced Due Diligence products and services.- History :...
(SACIA) - South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
The Counter Intelligence Agency (SACIA) of South Africa was established in 2010 to develop Industrial fraud prevention and counter intelligence measures in Africa. Presently there is an industrial legislation bill one the way to prevent industrial espionage in South Africa. The organizations main collaboration is with Governments, industrial organization and law enforcement.The organization is non-accessible to public.
Spain
Spain gives its Interior Ministry, with military support, the leadership in domestic counterterrorism.. The military has organic counter-intelligence to meet specific military needs.Foreign Intelligence on Terrorist Threats
For international threats, the National Intelligence Center (CNI) has responsibility. CNI, which reports directly to the Prime Minister, is staffed principally by which is subordinated directly to the Prime Minister’s office.Warning and Coordination
After the March 11, 2004 Madrid train bombings, the national investigation found problems between the Interior Ministry and CNI, and. as a result, the National Anti-Terrorism Coordination Center was created. Spain's 3/11 Commission called for this Center to do operational coordination as well as information collection and dissemination.Sweden
The Swedish Security ServiceSwedish Security Service
The Swedish Security Service , former name Rikspolisstyrelsens säkerhetsavdelning , is the security service of Sweden, belonging to the Swedish National Police Board....
(Säpo) is the domestic intelligence and counterterrorism organization, under the Swedish National Police Board.
United Kingdom
The UK Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, is the top decision-making body of the UK government. The Cabinet OfficeCabinet Office
The Cabinet Office is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for supporting the Prime Minister and Cabinet of the United Kingdom....
supports the UK ministerial committee system by coordinating policy and strategy across government departments, and as such, has a role in bringing together department ministers, officials, and others involved in homeland security affairs and counterterrorism. The Cabinet Secretariat, which sits in the Cabinet Office, largely manages the day-to-day business of the Cabinet committees and is divided into six individual secretariats that
support the different Cabinet committees.
A Security and Intelligence Coordinator within the Cabinet Office is directly responsible to the Prime Minister and is tasked with coordinating and developing, across all government departments,
work on counterterrorism and crisis management. The Security and Intelligence Coordinator plays a key role in setting priorities and budgets for the intelligence services.
In April 2004, the British government unveiled a new comprehensive, cross-departmental
Counterterrorism Strategy (known as CONTEST) centered on the “4Ps” of prevent, pursue, protect, and prepare. Prevention work seeks to address the underlying causes of terrorism both at home and abroad; pursuit efforts aim to disrupt terrorist organizations and their ability to operate; protection measures focus on protecting the public, critical national infrastructure, and key sites at particular risk; preparedness work aims to enable the UK to respond and recover from the consequences of a terrorist attack. The “4Ps” seek to give greater coherence to UK
counterterrorism measures and take advantage of existing expertise and resources throughout the UK government.
Foreign Intelligence on Terrorist Threats
The UK has three main intelligence and security services engaged in the fightagainst terrorism. The Secret Intelligence Service
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
(SIS, or MI6), the UK’s foreign
intelligence service, gathers intelligence overseas. The Government
Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) provides signals intelligence to counter a
range of threats, including terrorism, and is also the national technical authority for
information assurance, helping to keep data residing on government communication
and information systems safe from theft, manipulation, and other threats. Both MI6
and GCHQ operate under the statutory authority of the Foreign Secretary, although
neither is part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The Joint Intelligence Committee
Joint Intelligence Committee
The Joint Intelligence Committee is a nodal government agency in several countries, responsible for the internal and external security apparatus of the respective nations.* Joint Intelligence Committee * Joint Intelligence Committee...
(JIC), part of the Cabinet Office, advises on intelligence priorities. Like the US National Intelligence Council
National Intelligence Council
The National Intelligence Council is the center for midterm and long-term strategic thinking within the United States Intelligence Community . It was formed in 1979...
, the JIC, is intended to improve intelligence-sharing and cooperation
against terrorism further among the UK’s different law enforcement and intelligence
agencies.
Measures to Interfere with Terrorist Organization
HM Revenue and Customs, a nonministerial department that reports to the Chancellor of the Exchequer (or Treasury Secretary), has the lead responsibility for detecting prohibited and restricted goods at import and export, including those goods that may be used by terrorists. Customs officers also have the power to seize terrorist-linked cash anywhere in the UK,although the Treasury ministry has the lead in the fight against terrorist financing.
The Department for Transport’s Transport Security and Contingencies Directorate is responsible for the security of the traveling public and transport facilities through regulation of the aviation, maritime, and railway industries.
Internal security and police
The Home OfficeHome Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
, which would be called the Interior Ministry in many European countries, is the government department that has the lead on several aspects of homeland security affairs, including counterterrorism policy within the UK.
The Security Service
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
(MI5) is responsible for the protection of
national security against threats from espionage, sabotage, and terrorism. MI5
operates under the statutory authority of the Home Secretary, although it is not part
of the Home Office.
It is the focal point for the response to the terrorist threat, both through promulgation of legislative measures and counter-terrorist contingency planning. It is also responsible for domestic security policies, planning for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) incidents, and the national counterterrorism exercise program.
The Home Office also has the lead on setting immigration and asylum policy, and ministerial responsibility for the UK immigration service, which controls entry and exit to the UK at air, sea, land, and rail ports and identifies, monitors, and removes immigration offenders.
The Home Secretary is a member of the full Defence and Overseas Policy ministerial committee,
deputy chair of the DOP’s international terrorism subcommittee, and chair of the DOP’s protective security and resilience subcommittee. The Home Secretary also chairs the Civil Contingencies Committee and sits on the Intelligence Services ministerial committee.
Policing in the UK is largely
decentralized. The Home Office has ministerial responsibility for the police services
in England and Wales. The Scottish Ministry of Justice has ministerial responsibility
for policing in Scotland, while the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland sets policy
for policing there. Operational control, however, of all of the police services in
England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland rests with the chief constable of each
force. Currently, there are 43 regional police forces in England and Wales, and eight
in Scotland; the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is responsible for policing
in Northern Ireland. In England, Wales, and Scotland, these regional police forces
have primary responsibility for the investigation of terrorist offenses; the PSNI has
lead responsibility for terrorist investigations related to the affairs of Northern
Ireland. Each police force also has its own Special Branch, which works in
partnership with the Security Service (MI5), the UK’s domestic security service, to
acquire intelligence on those who may be involved in terrorism. The Metropolitan
Police (Scotland Yard) has responsibility for London and also has various specialist
units, such as those that deal with anti-terrorism, that may be called upon to fulfill a
national role.
In addition to the regional forces, there are a few other British police forces that
may play a role in homeland security affairs. The British Transport Police (BTP)
police the railway systems of England, Wales, and Scotland; the BTP is also responsible for policing some metro and commuter systems, including the London
Underground. The Department of Transport has ministerial responsibility over the BTP. The Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) is an armed police force that protects
civil nuclear installations and nuclear materials in the UK; it operates under the
strategic direction of the Department of Trade and Industry.
Although the police and security services have the primary role in domestic protection against terrorism, the armed forces may be called upon domestically in the event of a major terrorist incident requiring military units with specialized skills (such as the Special Forces hostage rescue commandos or those trained to deal with CBRN events). There is a formal turnover of authority from a police organization to the military for a rescue operation, such as the Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
intervention in the Iranian Embassy Siege
Iranian Embassy Siege
The Iranian Embassy siege took place from 30 April to 5 May 1980, after a group of six armed men stormed the Iranian embassy in South Kensington, London. The gunmen took 26 people hostage—mostly embassy staff, but several visitors and a police officer, who had been guarding the embassy, were also...
in 1980.
Warning and Coordination
In the event of an actual terrorist incident, a Cabinet-level emergency crisis management body —known as Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms
Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms
Cabinet Office Briefing Room is a term used to describe the formation of a crisis response committee, coordinating the actions of bodies within the government of the United Kingdom in response to instances of national or regional crisis, or during events abroad with major implications for the UK...
(COBR) convenes to coordinate the government’s immediate emergency response; COBR brings together the Prime Minister and other Cabinet ministers and officials.
The Joint Intelligence Analysis Center (JTAC) collates and evaluates intelligence about potential threats and provide early warning. JTAC seeks to break down institutional barriers between analysts of the different security and intelligence agencies by drawing together about 100 officials from 11 government departments and agencies, including MI5, MI6, GCHQ, the police, and the defense and transport ministries. JTAC provides both long-term studies of international
terrorism and immediate assessments of current threats; it is analogous to the U.S.
National Counter Terrorism Center. JTAC is responsible to the director-general of MI5.
Incident Mitigation
The Civil Contingencies Committee (CCC) is heavily involved in longer-term emergency preparedness and response, and has a Civil Contingencies Secretariat (CCS) within the Cabinet Secretariat to support the CCC, review UK emergency planning arrangements, and improve UK preparednessfor and response to emergencies.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA), a non-departmental body accountable to the Health Secretary, was
established in 2003 to help provide a coordinated and consistent public health
response to a range of national emergencies, from a disease outbreak to a terrorist
attack.
The UK armed forces may also be deployed to assist in the management of a natural disaster. The decision to deploy
the military to assist the civil authorities in an emergency would be made by COBR,
and the armed forces would have no jurisdiction outside of supporting the civil
powers. The Ministry of Defense and the armed forces are also responsible for
protecting 160 key UK sites, and for guarding UK nuclear weapons.
United States
Few nations have as complex a structure as the United States, and the structure is reorganized frequently. In the US, there is a very careful line drawn between intelligence and law enforcement.Several supervisory and coordinating organizations report to the President, principally the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive
Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive
The Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive directs national counter-intelligence for the United States government and is responsible to the Director of National Intelligence. The Office was established on January 5, 2001 by a directive from President Bill Clinton which also...
(NCIX).
Foreign Intelligence on Terrorist Threats
The large and complex intelligence communityIntelligence community
Intelligence community may refer to* Bangladeshi intelligence community* Croatian intelligence community * Israeli intelligence community* Italian intelligence community, see SISMI...
all gather information. Agencies variously have capabilities for collection, analysis, or both. Information is sent to the National Counterterrorism Center
National Counterterrorism Center
The National Counterterrorism Center is a United States government organization responsible for national and international counterterrorism efforts. It is based in a modern complex near McLean, Virginia called Liberty Crossing...
, which reports to the DNI.
Certain counter-intelligence agencies to protect military forces are largely classified functions called Counterintelligence Force Protection Source Operations (CFSO). These report to military chains of command for direct support, but coordinate offensive activities through the NCS. Each major military service has a counter-intelligence function: U.S. Army Counter Intelligence, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations
Air Force Office of Special Investigations
The Air Force Office of Special Investigations , is a Field Operating Agency of the United States Air Force that provides professional investigative services to commanders throughout the Air Force...
(AFOSI),and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
The United States Naval Criminal Investigative Service is the primary security, counter-intelligence, counter-terrorism, and law enforcement agency of the United States Department of the Navy...
(NCIS), formerly (NIS). NCIS serves the US Marine Corps. NOTE: The U.S. Marine Corps also has Counterintelligence/Tactical HUMINT assets (CI/HUMINT). There is also a Defense-wide Counterintelligence Field Activity
Counterintelligence Field Activity
Counterintelligence Field Activity was a United States Department of Defense agency whose size and budget were classified. The CIFA was created by a directive from the Secretary of Defense on February 19, 2002...
(CIFA).
Internal Security and Police
Domestic counter-intelligence is principally under Federal Bureau of InvestigationFederal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
(FBI), a law enforcement service. The FBI and CIA jointly operate the National Counterterrorism Center
National Counterterrorism Center
The National Counterterrorism Center is a United States government organization responsible for national and international counterterrorism efforts. It is based in a modern complex near McLean, Virginia called Liberty Crossing...
, although the CIA is not allowed to do field operations within the US.
The lead agency for terrorism law enforcement is the FBI, although a number of units of the Department of Homeland Security may provide support After the Oklahoma City bombing
Oklahoma City bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
of 19 April 1995, by Timothy McVeigh
Timothy McVeigh
Timothy James McVeigh was a United States Army veteran and security guard who detonated a truck bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995...
, an American, the CI definition reasonably extends to included domestically-originated terrorism. There is also the challenge of what organizations, laws, and doctrines are relevant to protection against all sorts of terrorism in one's own country. See Counter-intelligence Force Protection Source Operations for a discussion of special considerations of protection of government personnel and facilities, both in the US and internationally.
Immigration services, formerly under the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) transferred from the Department of Justice to the Department of Homeland Security in March 2003.
The administration of immigration services, including permanent residence, naturalization, asylum, and other functions became the responsibility of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), which existed only for a short time before changing to its current name, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
The investigative and enforcement functions (including investigations, deportation, and intelligence) were combined with U.S. Customs investigators, the Federal Protective Service
Federal Protective Service
Federal Protective Service may refer to:*Federal Protective Service , responsible for the security of Federal buildings*Federal Protective Service , the successor of the KGB Ninth Chief Directorate, now an independent organization...
, and the Federal Air Marshal Service
Federal Air Marshal Service
The Federal Air Marshal Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the supervision of the Transportation Security Administration of the United States Department of Homeland Security...
, to create U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security , responsible for identifying, investigating, and dismantling vulnerabilities regarding the nation's border, economic, transportation, and infrastructure security...
(ICE).
The border functions of the INS, which included the Border Patrol along with INS Inspectors, were combined with U.S. Customs Inspectors into the newly created U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. regulations, including trade, customs and immigration. CBP is the...
(CBP).
Warning and Coordination
The National Counterterrorism CenterNational Counterterrorism Center
The National Counterterrorism Center is a United States government organization responsible for national and international counterterrorism efforts. It is based in a modern complex near McLean, Virginia called Liberty Crossing...
, reporting to the Director of National Intelligence receives information from intelligence agencies and law enforcement, does threat analysis, and disseminates as appropriate. It may issue
Criminal Justice for Terrorists
Police activity would principally be under the FBI, with prosecution in the Federal court system.Measures to Interfere with Terrorist Organization
Offensive counterespionage, which also includes offensive (but not combat) activity against terrorists, appears to have remained in the Central Intelligence AgencyCentral Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
's National Clandestine Service (NCS), which formerly was the CIA Directorate of Operations. The former Defense HUMINT Service is under the NCS.
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is a bureau of the United States Department of the Treasury that collects and analyzes information about financial transactions in order to combat money laundering, terrorist financiers, and other financial crimes.As reflected in its name, the Financial...
(FinCEN), in the Department of the Treasury
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
, is the clearinghouse for banks and other institutions' reporting of suspected money laundering, terrorist financing, etc. In general, if there is a matter to be prosecuted, the FBI will take the case.
Incident Mitigation
DHS contains a number of organizations for mitigation, which work with state and local organizations. All use the Incident Command SystemIncident Command System
The Incident Command System is "a systematic tool used for the command, control, and coordination of emergency response" according to the United States Federal Highway Administration...
operations paradigm, which scales from local level to the National Incident Management System
National Incident Management System
The National Incident Management System is emergency management doctrine used nationwide to coordinate emergency preparedness and incident management and response among the public and private sectors.NIMS is a comprehensive, national approach to incident management that is applicable at all...
/National Response Plan
National Response Plan
The National Response Plan was a United States national plan to respond to emergencies such as natural disasters or terrorist attacks. It came into effect in December 2004 , and was superseded by the National Response Framework on March 22, 2008....
.
DHS organizations involved in mitigation include the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
, National Communications System
National Communications System
The National Communications System is an office within the United States Department of Homeland Security charged with enabling national security and emergency preparedness communications using the national telecommunications system.-Background and history:The genesis of the NCS began in 1962...
and US Coast Guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
. National Guard units, variously federalized, used by agreement between states, or in their own states, are a major resource, especially for large disasters.
See also
- Counter-terrorismCounter-terrorismCounter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
for a more detailed discussion of tactical response - Intelligence cycle managementIntelligence cycle managementThe intelligence cycle is a investigation process used by end users , which allows that user to gather specific information, understand the possibilities of that information, and the limitations of the intelligence process.Within the context of government, military and business affairs,...
- Intelligence collection managementIntelligence collection managementIntelligence Collection Management is the process of managing and organizing the collection of intelligence information from various sources. The collection department of an intelligence organization may attempt basic validation of that which it collects, but is not intended to analyze its...
- HUMINTHUMINTHUMINT, a syllabic abbreviation of the words HUMan INTelligence, refers to intelligence gathering by means of interpersonal contact, as opposed to the more technical intelligence gathering disciplines such as SIGINT, IMINT and MASINT...
- Intelligence analysis managementIntelligence analysis managementIntelligence Analysis Management is the process of managing and organizing the analytical processing of raw intelligence information into finished intelligence. The terms "analysis", "production", and "processing" all are used in this phase that is informally called "connecting the dots". ...
- Intelligence analysisIntelligence analysisIntelligence analysis is the process of taking known information about situations and entities of strategic, operational, or tactical importance, characterizing the known, and, with appropriate statements of probability, the future actions in those situations and by those entities...
- Incident Command SystemIncident Command SystemThe Incident Command System is "a systematic tool used for the command, control, and coordination of emergency response" according to the United States Federal Highway Administration...