MI5 in Northern Ireland

MI5 acquired the lead intelligence role in Northern Ireland in 2007. During the Troubles, according to the Rosemary Nelson Inquiry, "Primacy lay with the RUC and, in particular, with SB. The Security Service, nonetheless, maintained a highly significant presence in Northern Ireland".The Rosemary Nelson Inquiry Report (PDF), Crown Copyright, 23 May 2001, p.161.
==History==
===Border Campaign===
According to official historian Christopher Andrew, MI5 sent a liaison officer to Belfast during the IRA border campaign of 1958-1962.Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.602.
===The 1960s===
On 17 March 1966, Air Marshal Harold Maguire, deputy chief of the Defence Staff (Intelligence) raised the need for 'up to date information on the IRA threat' at a meeting of the Joint Intelligence Committee. However, the director-general of MI5 Martin Furnival Jones argued that the IRA represented a 'law and order' problem rather than a security one, and intelligence assistance should go through Special Branch. The Defence Operations Centre was suggested as a possible vehicle for this.Mark Hollingsworth and Nick Fielding, Defending the Realm: Inside MI5 and the War on Terrorism, Andre Deutsch, 2003, p.136.
On 6 November 1968, the Home Secretary James Callaghan asked MI5 for an up-to-date appreciation of the prospect of violence in Northern Ireland from the IRA. Deputy Director-General Anthony Simkins told the Permanent Under-Secretary at the Home Office, Sir Philip Allen that this placed MI5 "in a rather Gilbertian situation as we derived our information from the [RUC] and had no independent coverage." An MI5 paper entitled "The Threat of Violence in Northern Ireland" was completed in December 1968.Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.602.
===Outbreak of the Troubles===
In the spring of 1969, an internal MI5 newsletter stated: "The total effort deployed by F. Branch in matters Irish was until recently confined to one part-time desk officer in F.1.C.Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.602.
On 25 April 1969, Simkins told the Official Committee on Northern Ireland that the RUC Inspector General had asked that MI5 send a liaison officer once again:
::If we took up this suggestion we should probably get a very good idea of the reliability of the RUC's intelligence about the IRA. Allen said the Home Secretary approved of our doing so, and the meeting warmly endorsed the idea.Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.604. 
An MI5 Security Liaison Officer (SLO) was accordingly posted to RUC headquarters at Knock near Belfast four days later. A full-time Irish desk was established in F1B at around the same time.Christopher Andrew, The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.604.
Stella Rimington, then a junior assistant officer, wrote of this desk:
::In fact at the Leconfield House end, it consisted of one experienced lady assistant officer and myself. We were supporting a small group who had gone to Northern Ireland to work with the RUC and to assess what MI5 should do."Stella Rimington, Open Secret: The Autobiography of the Former Director-General of MI5, 2002, p.105.
A new Security Liason Officer was appointed in July 1970.Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.618.
===Direct Rule===
Following the advent of direct rule in 1972, an Irish Joint Section was established in London and Belfast, manned by both MI5 and MI6 officers.Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.621.
==Structure and Personnel==
===Director and Co-ordinator of Intelligence (Northern Ireland) (DCI)===
*Denis Payne-mid-1970s.Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.18. C.1973-75Paul Lashmar and James Oliver, Britain's Secret Propaganda War 1948-1977, Sutton Publishing, 1998, p.157.
*Hal Doyne-Ditmass, C.1981-83.Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.484.
*John Deverell
*S436 - 10 August 1998-31 October 2000.Transcript Day 71, Rosemary Nelson Inquiry, 5 November 2008.
===Assistant DCI===
According to the Pat Finucane Review by Sir Desmond de Silva QC there was an Assistant DCI, who chaired the Targeting Policy Committee.Sir Desmond de Silva, Volume 1 - Chapter 3: Intelligence structures, Pat Finucane Review, 12 December 2012.
===DCI Rep (Knock)===
===DCI Rep (HQNI)===
===Assessments Group (AsGp)===
Head of Assessments Group (HAG)The Rosemary Nelson Inquiry Report (PDF), Crown Copyright, 23 May 2001, p.163.
*S519 - Desk officer 1995-97.Transcript Day 69, Rosemary Nelson Inquiry, 3 November 2008.
*S284 - Agent handler and desk officer pre 1997.Transcript Day 71, Rosemary Nelson Inquiry, 5 November 2008.
*S703 - Desk Officer 1997-1999.Transcript Day 70, Rosemary Nelson Inquiry, 4 November 2008.
*S188 - c.1998.Transcript Day 103, Rosemary Nelson Inquiry, 9 February 2009.
===T8 Irish Counter Terrorism Agent Handling Section===
Prior to April 1984, agent-handling was the responsibility of the Irish Joint Section. The Security Service became solely responsible for its Belfast station and created a new section, F8, in London which assumed management responsibility. The F8 Section was a part of the FX Branch of the Service in London, which became responsible for dealing with counter-terrorism. In 1988, FX Branch became G Branch and F8 was renamed as G8. In 1990, Irish counter-terrorism was transferred to a new T Branch.Sir Desmond de Silva, Volume 1 - Chapter 3: Intelligence structures, Pat Finucane Review, 12 December 2012.
*G/02 (De Silva report cipher) - Head of the agent-running section, probably F8, February 1987.Sir Desmond de Silva, Volume 1 - Chapter 6: The recruitment of Brian Nelson, Pat Finucane Review, 12 December 2012.
*S224 - Assistant Director.Transcript Day 104, Rosemary Nelson Inquiry], 10 February 2009.
*S966 - agent handler 1996-1999.Transcript day 72, Rosemary Nelson Inquiry, 6 November 2008. 
*S255 - agent handler 1996-2000.Transcript Day 72, Rosemary Nelson Inquiry, 6 November 2008.
===Positions not known===
*David Ranson c.1980.Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.55.
*Patrick Walker c.1980Stephen Dorril, The Silent Conspiracy: Inside the Intelligence Services in the 1990s, Mandarin, 1994, p.55.
==External Resources==
*MI5, Pat Finucane Centre
==Notes==
Category:SpooksCategory:MI5Category:Northern IrelandCategory:State Violence and Collusion Project