Military Intelligence, Section 6
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|
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1909 |
| Preceding | |
| Type | Foreign intelligence service |
| Jurisdiction | Her Majesty's Government |
| Headquarters |
SIS Building London, England United Kingdom 51°29′16″N 0°07′29″W / 51.48778°N 0.12472°W |
| Motto | Semper Occultus (Always Secret) |
| Employees | 2,479 (31 March 2015) |
| Annual budget | Single Intelligence Account (£2.6 billion in 2014–2015 financial year) |
| Minister responsible | |
| Agency executive | |
| Website | www |
The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6, is the foreign intelligence service of the government of the United Kingdom, tasked mainly with the covert overseas collection and analysis of human intelligence (HUMINT) in support of the UK's national security. SIS is a member of the country's intelligence community and its Chief is accountable to the country's Foreign Secretary.
Originally formed in 1909 as a section of the Secret Service Bureau specialising in foreign intelligence, the section experienced dramatic growth during World War I and officially adopted its current name around 1920. The name MI6 (meaning Military Intelligence, Section 6) originated as a flag of convenience during World War II, when SIS was known by many names; it is still commonly used today. The existence of SIS was only officially acknowledged in 1994 with the introduction of the Intelligence Services Act 1994 (ISA), which placed the organisation on a statutory footing for the first time and provides the legal basis for its operations. Today, SIS is subject to public oversight by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal and the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee.
The stated priority roles of SIS are counter-terrorism, counter-proliferation, providing intelligence in support of cyber security, and supporting stability overseas to disrupt terrorism and other criminal activities. Unlike its main sister agencies, the Security Service (MI5) and Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), SIS works exclusively in foreign intelligence gathering; the ISA allows it to carry out operations only against persons outside the British Islands. Some of SIS's actions since the 2000s have attracted significant controversy, such as its alleged complicity in acts of torture and extraordinary rendition by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
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