Security Services – FBI – CIA – MI5 – MI6 – Mossad

Misdirection is used in warfare. This is unfortunate as the application is usually directed at populations to support war.

George W. Bush insists Iraq harbored terrorists, held weapons of mass destruction, yet, even the CIA claims absolutely no connection between Iraq and the September 11th attacks on Washington D.C. and New York. The President has also labeled Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda the perpetrators of those acts of mass destruction.

Yet there has been no proof offered to the public. This is not to say that there is no proof. It is simply that there has been none offered. And, ostensibly if the government was so quick to place blame on bin Laden, then why wasn’t anything done about it to deter the incalculable act of violence?

So after massive build-up of rumor, insinuation and presumption, the Bush administration waves the flag, calls the millions of peace marchers worldwide, on February 15, 2003, “a focus group,” and kills thousands of Iraqis without bothering to record, or disseminate the numbers of the dead.

A premise was set. An operation/campaign was put in place. The deception was completed and the hard facts were not referred to only the ideals. Was “Operation Iraqi Freedom” misdirection for the desperate US President unable to arrest the terrorist Osama?

WARFARE

Fostering the understanding of illusion in terms of world politics is a valuable tool. In the corporate world we clearly see that Enron bilked millions from their investors via illusion there was no product to support the investment.

What was the misdirection to complete the illusion? Perhaps the soaring stock that had been inflated dazzled investors’ eyes was enough; and resultantly, misdirecting away from the truth of the actual bottom line.

Sometimes knowing the weight of the hammer will dictate how hard one has to swing that hammer. Similarly, the magician aware of misdirection in the media, politics and in daily commerce can measure their punch appropriate to their illusions that have patter appropriate to current events.

If I say to an audience that the CIA let 9/11 happen purposely, then this may anger some in the audience. That amount of reaction may be just the amount of misdirection I need to divert attention from something else.

CLICK ON ABOVE GRAPHIC FOR MORE INFORMATION

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States, which simultaneously serves as the nation’s prime federal law enforcement agency.

Operating under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI is concurrently a member of the U.S. Intelligence Community and reports to both the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence. A leading U.S. counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and criminal investigative organization, the FBI has jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crimes.

Although many of the FBI’s functions are unique, its activities in support of national security are comparable to those of the British MI5 and the Russian FSB. Unlike the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which has no law enforcement authority and is focused on intelligence collection overseas, the FBI is primarily a domestic agency, maintaining 56 field offices in major cities throughout the United States, and more than 400 resident agencies in lesser cities and areas across the nation.

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

The success of the British Commandos during World War II prompted U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt to authorize the creation of an intelligence service modeled after the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), and Special Operations Executive. This led to the creation of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS).

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the U.S. Government, tasked with gathering, processing and analyzing national security information from around the world, primarily through the use of human intelligence (HUMINT). As one of the principal members of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC).

Unlike the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which is a domestic security service, CIA has no law enforcement function and is mainly focused on overseas intelligence gathering, with only limited domestic collection. Though it is not the only U.S. government agency specializing in HUMINT, CIA serves as the national manager for coordination and deconfliction of HUMINT activities across the entire intelligence community.

Moreover, CIA is the only agency authorized by law to carry out and oversee covert action on behalf of the President, unless the President determines that another agency is better suited for carrying out such action. It can, for example, exert foreign political influence through its tactical divisions, such as the Special Activities Division.

INTELLIGENCE REFORM AND TERRORISM PREVENTION ACT

Before the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, CIA Director concurrently served as the head of the Intelligence Community; today these functions and authorities reside with the Director of National Intelligence. Despite transferring some of its powers to the DNI, the CIA has grown in size as a result of the September 11 terrorist attacks. In 2013, The Washington Post reported that in fiscal year 2010, the CIA had the largest budget of all IC agencies, exceeding previous estimates.

The CIA has increasingly expanded its roles, including covert paramilitary operations. One of its largest divisions, the Information Operations Center (IOC), has shifted focus from counter-terrorism to offensive cyber-operations. While the CIA has had some recent accomplishments, such as locating Osama bin Laden and taking part in the successful Operation Neptune Spear, it has also been involved in controversial programs such as extraordinary rendition and enhanced interrogation techniques.

When the CIA was created, its purpose was to create a clearinghouse for foreign policy intelligence and analysis. Today its primary purpose is to collect, analyze, evaluate, and disseminate foreign intelligence, and to perform covert actions.

According to its fiscal 2013 budget, the CIA has five priorities:

•Counterterrorism, the top priority, given the ongoing Global War on Terror.

•Nonproliferation of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, with North Korea described as perhaps the most difficult target.

•Warning/informing American leaders of important overseas events, with Pakistan described as an “intractable target”.

•Counterintelligence, with China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, and Israel described as “priority” targets.

•Cyber intelligence.

CLICK ON ABOVE GRAPHIC FOR MORE INFORMATION

THE SECURITY SERVICE (MI5)

The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 (Military Intelligence, Section 5), is the United Kingdom’s domestic counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), Government Communications Headquarters

Although commonly referred to as “MI5”, this was the Service’s official name for only thirteen years (1916–29). However, as an acknowledgment of popular thought, “MI5” is used as a sub-title on the various pages of the official Security Service website (see links, below).
October 1909: Founded as the Home Section of the Secret Service Bureau.
April 1914: Became a subsection of the War Office Directorate of Military Operations, section 5 (MO5)—MO5(g).
1916: Became Military Intelligence section 5—MI5.
1929: Renamed the Defence Security Service.
1931: Renamed the Security Service.

The Security Service comes under the authority of the Home Secretary within the Cabinet. The service is headed by a Director General at the grade of a Permanent Secretary of the British Civil Service who is directly supported by an internal security organisation, secretariat, legal advisory branch and information services branch. The Deputy DG is responsible for the operational activity of the service, being responsible for four branches

The service is directed by the Joint Intelligence Committee for intelligence operational priorities. It liaises with SIS, GCHQ, DIS, and a number of other bodies within the British government and industrial base. It is overseen by the Intelligence and Security Committee of Members of Parliament, who are directly appointed by the Prime Minister.

Operations of the service are required to be proportionate and compliant with British legislation including the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, the Data Protection Act 1998,

The Security Service is derived from the Secret Service Bureau, founded in 1909 and concentrating originally on the activities of the Imperial German government as a joint initiative of the Admiralty and the War Office. The Bureau was split into naval and army sections which, over time, specialised in foreign target espionage and internal counter-espionage activities respectively.

This specialisation was a result of the Admiralty intelligence requirements related to the maritime strength of the Imperial German Navy. This specialisation was formalised prior to 1914 and the beginning of World War I.

Its role was originally quite restricted; existing purely to ensure national security through counter-espionage. With a small staff and working in conjunction with the Special Branch.

THE SECRET INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (MI6)

The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6 (Military Intelligence, Section 6), is the British intelligence agency which supplies the British Government with foreign intelligence. MI6 operates under the formal direction of the
SIS, a name used as a flag of convenience during the First World War when it was known by many names. The existence of the SIS was not officially acknowledged until 1994.

The service derived from the Secret Service Bureau, which was founded in 1909.The Bureau was a joint initiative of the Admiralty and the War Office to control secret intelligence operations in the UK and overseas, particularly concentrating on the activities of the Imperial German Government.

The bureau was split into naval and army sections which, over time, specialised in foreign espionage and internal counter-espionage activities, respectively. This specialisation was because the Admiralty wanted to know the maritime strength of the Imperial German Navy. This specialisation was formalised before 1914.

After the war, resources were significantly reduced but during the 1920s, SIS established a close operational relationship with the diplomatic service.

The end of the Cold War led to a reshuffle of existing priorities. The Soviet Bloc ceased to swallow the lion’s share of operational priorities, although the stability and intentions of a weakened but still nuclear-capable Federal Russia constituted a significant concern

During the global war on terror, SIS accepted information from the CIA that was obtained through torture, including the extraordinary rendition program.

CLICK ON ABOVE GRAPHIC FOR MORE INFORMATION

OTHER SECURITY SERVICES – ISRAEL MOSSAD

Mossad is the national intelligence agency of Israel. It is one of the main entities in the Israeli Intelligence Community, along with Aman (military intelligence) and Shin Bet (internal security).

Mossad is responsible for intelligence collection, covert operations, and counter-terrorism. Its director answers directly and only to the Prime Minister. Its annual budget is estimated to be around 10 billion shekels (US$2.73 billion) and it is estimated that it employs around 7,000 people directly, making it the one of the world’s largest espionage agencies.

Unlike other security bodies (such as the Israeli Army or the Israel Security Agency), its purpose, objectives, roles, missions, powers or budget have not been defined in any law.

OTHER SECURITY SERVICES – RUSSIA FSB

The KGB , ?’Committee for State Security’) was the main security agency for the Soviet Union from 13 March 1954 until 3 December 1991. It was attached to the Council of Ministers. It was the chief government agency of “union-republican jurisdiction”, carrying out internal security, foreign intelligence, counter-intelligence and secret police functions.

The agency was a military service governed by army laws and regulations, in the same fashion as the Soviet Army or the MVD Internal Troops. While most of the KGB archives remain classified, two online documentary sources are available. Its main functions were foreign intelligence, counter-intelligence, operative-investigative activities and guarding the state border of the USSR.

On 3 December 1991, the KGB was officially dissolved. It was later succeeded in Russia by the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and what would later become the Federal Security Service (FSB).

OTHER SECURITY SERVICES – CHINA MSS

The Ministry of State Security (abbreviation: MSS; ‘State Security Ministry’; IPA: is the civilian intelligence, security and secret police agency of the People’s Republic of China, responsible for counter-intelligence, foreign intelligence and political security.
The MSS is active in industrial espionage and increasingly adept at cyber espionage. Its military counterpart is the Intelligence Bureau of the Joint Staff. Described as one of the most secretive intelligence organizations in the world, it is headquartered in Beijing with subordinate branches at the provincial, city, municipality and township levels throughout China.

The network of state security bureaus and the Ministry of State Security should not be confused with the separate but parallel network of public security bureaus, administered by the MPS.