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 (GCHQ), and Defence Intelligence (DI). MI5 is directed by the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), and the service is bound by the Security Service Act 1989. The service is directed to protect British parliamentary democracy and economic interests and to counter terrorism and espionage within the United Kingdom. Wit
Key facts
- Government agency.name
- Security Service (MI5)
- Government agency.logo
- Mi5 crest and logotype.svg
- Government agency.image
- Thames House and Lambeth Bridge, looking across the river.jpg
- Government agency.image_size
- 275px
- Government agency.image_caption
- Thames House, London
- Government agency.formed
- (as the Secret Service Bureau)
- Government agency.jurisdiction
- His Majesty's Government
- Government agency.headquarters
- Thames House, London, United Kingdom
- Government agency.motto
- Regnum Defende(Defend the Realm)
- Government agency.employees
- 5,259
- Government agency.budget
- Single Intelligence Account £3.711 billion (2021–22)
- Government agency.minister1_name
- Shabana Mahmood
- Government agency.minister1_pfo
- Home Secretary
- Government agency.chief1_name
- Ken McCallum
- Government agency.chief1_position
- Director General
- COA wide.year_adopted
- 1981
- COA wide.motto
- REGNUM DEFENDE
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
26 sectionsContents
- Organisation
- Structure
- Legislation
- Oversight
- Centenary and awards
- History
- Early years
- First World War
- Inter-war period
- Second World War
- Post-Second World War
- Counter-terrorism
- Serious crime
- Surveillance
- Participation of MI5 officers in criminal activity
- Allegations of collusion in torture
- Domestic abuse scandal
- Buildings
- Directors General of the Security Service
- Past names
- Cover name
- Coat of arms
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
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 (GCHQ), and Defence Intelligence (DI). MI5 is directed by the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), and the service is bound by the Security Service Act 1989. The service is directed to protect British parliamentary democracy and economic interests and to counter terrorism and espionage within the United Kingdom. Within the civil service community, the service is colloquially known as Box, or Box 500, after its official wartime address of PO Box 500; its current address is PO Box 3255, London SW1P 1AE.
The Security Service began as the Home Section of the Secret Service Bureau, founded in 1909. At the start of the First World War, it was responsible for the arrest of enemy spies, or suspected enemy spies. Throughout the First World War, Germany continually attempted to infiltrate Britain, but MI5 was able to identify most, if not all, of the agents dispatched. During the Second World War, it developed the Double-Cross System. This involved attempting to "turn" captured agents wherever possible, and use them to mislead enemy intelligence agencies.