Military Intelligence, Department 5, Secret Service
Was founded by reorganization of several services in 1909 by V.Kell. Its main task was to fight against the foreign espionage, but some times their dedicated their attention to the Brits, too. Kell defeated his leading post for unbelievable 31 years and was only topped by J.Edgar Hoover. After him the chairmen changed quickly. Since the 60s, the MI-5 watched mainly pro-soviet persons, but they suffered some hits (like penetration by Blunt, the allegation of chairman R.Hollis and G.Prim)The MI-5 is directed by the government. The MI-5 also keeps an eye on the foreign services, inner subversion, runs checks of employees in the administration, checks foreigners, emigrants, immigrants and communication systems. Thus it's more known as the MI-6, although the MI-5 has no executive forces.
It underlies the government and has over 5,000 employees in 53 regional headquarters. The budget is between 50-200 mil. pounds. Although the question of the post-cold war budget was heavily discussed among politicians, the MI-5 was able to maintain it on the same level going more into the anti-terrorism (72% of all activities 39% home, 33% international). Another problem with the budget came with the Ireland peacetalks when the service felt a decrease of terrorist activity and faced a new problem - lower employee number or invade even more ground of the police tasks. The latter became true. The police didn't like it, but the government did.
The MI-5 is divided into these sections:
A - intelligence resources, action planning, technical support (equipment)
B - personnel section
D - counterintelligence and nonterrorist activities (organized crime, antistate activities, proliferation)
G - international terrorism
T - inland terrorism (Ireland)
H - strategic questions, financial issues, analyses
Departments B and H are controlled by The Chief, A, D, G and T are directed by his deputies.
The MI-5 had its seat on Curzon Street, Mayfair until 1972, then moved to Gower Street, Euston. See also MI-5 chiefs
