Jonathan Evans (MI5 officer)
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Evans is the Director General of the British Security Service
, the United Kingdom's domestic security and counter-intelligence
service. He took over the role on the retirement of his predecessor Eliza Manningham-Buller
(later, Lady Manningham-Buller, DCB) on 21 April 2007.
In 1985 he moved to the protective security function, dealing with internal and personnel security, before switching to domestic counter-terrorism
in the late 1980s. For more than a decade he was involved with the effort to combat the domestic threat of groups such as the Provisional IRA
during The Troubles
.
In 1999, with the violence in Northern Ireland greatly reduced due to the Good Friday Agreement, Evans moved to G-Branch, the section of MI5 which deals with international terrorism. There he became an expert on al-Qaeda
and other branches of Islamic terrorism. He rose to head the section in 2001 (only a few days before the September 11, 2001 attacks
), a position which put him on the service's board of management. In 2005, he became Deputy Director-General before being promoted to head the organisation in 2007.
Of the 7 July 2005 London bombings
, one commentator has said "Evans's persistent unwillingness to accept that his agency could have thwarted the 7/7 bombers if they had been more on the ball shows the petulance of a losing football manager".
In November 2007 Evans talked publicly about the threat the UK faces from digital espionage. He is an ex-officio Member of the Council of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies where he spoke on National Security
in February 2008. He has a Certificate in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors
.
In July 2010 the government revealed Evans received an annual salary of £159,999.
In September 2010, Evans said that Anwar al-Awlaki
was the West’s Public Enemy No 1.
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...
, the United Kingdom's domestic security and counter-intelligence
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...
service. He took over the role on the retirement of his predecessor Eliza Manningham-Buller
Eliza Manningham-Buller
Elizabeth Lydia "Eliza" Manningham-Buller, Baroness Manningham-Buller, DCB was Director General of MI5, the British internal Security Service, from October 2002 until her retirement on 20 April 2007, aged 58....
(later, Lady Manningham-Buller, DCB) on 21 April 2007.
Biography
Having graduated from Bristol University where he read classical studies,, Evans joined the Security Service in 1980, and initially worked in counter espionage.In 1985 he moved to the protective security function, dealing with internal and personnel security, before switching to domestic 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...
in the late 1980s. For more than a decade he was involved with the effort to combat the domestic threat of groups such as the Provisional IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
during The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
.
In 1999, with the violence in Northern Ireland greatly reduced due to the Good Friday Agreement, Evans moved to G-Branch, the section of MI5 which deals with international terrorism. There he became an expert on al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
and other branches of Islamic terrorism. He rose to head the section in 2001 (only a few days before the September 11, 2001 attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
), a position which put him on the service's board of management. In 2005, he became Deputy Director-General before being promoted to head the organisation in 2007.
Of the 7 July 2005 London bombings
7 July 2005 London bombings
The 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using London's public transport system during the morning rush hour....
, one commentator has said "Evans's persistent unwillingness to accept that his agency could have thwarted the 7/7 bombers if they had been more on the ball shows the petulance of a losing football manager".
In November 2007 Evans talked publicly about the threat the UK faces from digital espionage. He is an ex-officio Member of the Council of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies where he spoke on National Security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
in February 2008. He has a Certificate in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors
Institute of Directors
The Institute of Directors is a UK-based organisation, established in 1903 and incorporated by royal charter in 1906 to support, represent and set standards for company directors...
.
In July 2010 the government revealed Evans received an annual salary of £159,999.
In September 2010, Evans said that Anwar al-Awlaki
Anwar al-Awlaki
Anwar al-Awlaki was an American and Yemeni imam who was an engineer and educator by training. According to U.S. government officials, he was a senior talent recruiter and motivator who was involved with planning operations for the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda...
was the West’s Public Enemy No 1.