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[[Image:Sis1.jpg|right|Secret Intelligence Service or M16]]

[[Image:Sis1.jpg|right|frame|<center>aka M16</center>]]

The  '''Secret Intelligence Service''' ('''SIS'''), commonly known as '''MI6''' ([[MI numbers|Military Intelligence, Section 6]]) [http://www.sis.gov.uk/output/Page50.html] is the [[United Kingdom]]'s external [[intelligence agency]]. Under the direction of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), it works alongside the [[MI5|Security Service]] (MI5), Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and the [[Defence Intelligence Staff]] (DIS). Within the civil service community the service is colloquially referred to as 'Box 850' which comes from its old post office box number. [http://books.google.com/books?id=rM97vRIVLtEC&pg=PA273&vq=box+850&dq=isbn:0714654574&sig=64ccBT4nFIAdQd7skesTa4yOBxI]  ''MI6 and the Machinery of Spying ISBN 0714654574. 2003-08-11].[http://www.the-hutton-inquiry.org.uk/content/transcripts/hearing-trans02.htm]  ''Hearing Transcripts, [http://www.google.com/notebook/public/05838763254983837150/BDQTaSwoQwuv93rgi  BNL BCCI scandals, Iraq--Machine Tools for various facilities. &ndash; House of Representatives, Washington DC. 1993-01-21].

The  '''Secret Intelligence Service''' ('''SIS'''), commonly known as '''MI6''' ([[MI numbers|Military Intelligence, Section 6]]) [https://www.sis.gov.uk/output/Page50.html] is the [[United Kingdom]]'s external [[intelligence agency]]. Under the direction of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), it works alongside the [[MI5|Security Service]] (MI5), Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and the [[Defence Intelligence Staff]] (DIS). Within the civil service community the service is colloquially referred to as 'Box 850' which comes from its old post office box number. [https://books.google.com/books?id=rM97vRIVLtEC&pg=PA273&vq=box+850&dq=isbn:0714654574&sig=64ccBT4nFIAdQd7skesTa4yOBxI]  ''MI6 and the Machinery of Spying ISBN 0714654574. 2003-08-11].[https://www.the-hutton-inquiry.org.uk/content/transcripts/hearing-trans02.htm]  ''Hearing Transcripts, [https://www.google.com/notebook/public/05838763254983837150/BDQTaSwoQwuv93rgi  BNL BCCI scandals, Iraq--Machine Tools for various facilities. &ndash; House of Representatives, Washington DC. 1993-01-21].

== History ==

== History ==

===Foundation===

===Foundation===

=== World War I ===

=== World War I ===

The service's performance during [[World War I]] was mixed, because it was unable to establish a network in [[Germany]] itself. The majority of its results came from military and commercial intelligence collected through networks in neutral countries, occupied territories, and Russia. [http://www.espionageinfo.com/Lo-Mo/MI6-British-Secret-Intelligence-Service.html  ''MI6 (British Secret Intelligence Service)'', K. Lee Lerner and Judson Knight in Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security].

The service's performance during [[World War I]] was mixed, because it was unable to establish a network in [[Germany]] itself. The majority of its results came from military and commercial intelligence collected through networks in neutral countries, occupied territories, and Russia. [https://www.espionageinfo.com/Lo-Mo/MI6-British-Secret-Intelligence-Service.html  ''MI6 (British Secret Intelligence Service)'', K. Lee Lerner and Judson Knight in Encyclopedia of Espionage, Intelligence, and Security].

===Inter-War period===

===Inter-War period===

During the mid-1990s the British intelligence community was subjected to a comprehensive costing review by the Government. As part of broader defence cut-backs SIS had its resources cut back 25% across the board and senior management was reduced by 40%. As a consequence of these cuts, the Requirements division (formerly the Circulating Sections of the 1921 Arrangement) were deprived of any representation on the Board of Directors. At the same time, the Middle East and Africa Controllerates were pared back and amalgamated. According to the findings of Lord Butler of Brockwell's ''Review of Weapons of Mass Destruction'', the reduction of operational capabilities in the Middle East and of the Requirements division's ability to challenge the quality of the information the Middle East Controllerate was providing weakened the Joint Intelligence Committee's estimates of Iraq's nonconventional weapons programmes. These weaknesses were major contributors to the UK's erroneous assessments of Iraq's 'weapons of mass destruction' prior to the 2003 invasion of that country. Following the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|911]] funding was increased.

During the mid-1990s the British intelligence community was subjected to a comprehensive costing review by the Government. As part of broader defence cut-backs SIS had its resources cut back 25% across the board and senior management was reduced by 40%. As a consequence of these cuts, the Requirements division (formerly the Circulating Sections of the 1921 Arrangement) were deprived of any representation on the Board of Directors. At the same time, the Middle East and Africa Controllerates were pared back and amalgamated. According to the findings of Lord Butler of Brockwell's ''Review of Weapons of Mass Destruction'', the reduction of operational capabilities in the Middle East and of the Requirements division's ability to challenge the quality of the information the Middle East Controllerate was providing weakened the Joint Intelligence Committee's estimates of Iraq's nonconventional weapons programmes. These weaknesses were major contributors to the UK's erroneous assessments of Iraq's 'weapons of mass destruction' prior to the 2003 invasion of that country. Following the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|911]] funding was increased.

In the run up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, MI6 conducted Operation Mass Appeal which was a campaign to plant stories about Iraq's WMDs in the media. The operation was exposed in the [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article839897.ece Sunday Times in December 2003]. Claims by former weapons inspector Scott Ritter suggest that similar propaganda campaigns against Iraq date back well into the 1990s. Ritter claims that MI6 recruited him in 1997 to help with the propaganda effort. "The aim was to convince the public that Iraq was a far greater threat than it actually was" - Scott Ritter, Sunday Times, December 28, 2003.

In the run up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, MI6 conducted Operation Mass Appeal which was a campaign to plant stories about Iraq's WMDs in the media. The operation was exposed in the [https://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article839897.ece Sunday Times in December 2003]. Claims by former weapons inspector Scott Ritter suggest that similar propaganda campaigns against Iraq date back well into the 1990s. Ritter claims that MI6 recruited him in 1997 to help with the propaganda effort. "The aim was to convince the public that Iraq was a far greater threat than it actually was" - Scott Ritter, Sunday Times, December 28, 2003.

On May 6, 2004, it was announced that Sir Richard Dearlove was to be replaced as head of the SIS by John Scarlett, former chairman of the [[UK Joint Intelligence Committee|Joint Intelligence Committee]]. Scarlett is an unusually high-profile appointment to the job, and gave evidence at the Hutton Inquiry.

On May 6, 2004, it was announced that Sir Richard Dearlove was to be replaced as head of the SIS by John Scarlett, former chairman of the [[UK Joint Intelligence Committee|Joint Intelligence Committee]]. Scarlett is an unusually high-profile appointment to the job, and gave evidence at the Hutton Inquiry.

On November 15 2006, MI6 allowed an interview with current operations officers for the first time. The interview was on the ''Colin Murray show'' on [[BBC]] Radio 1. The two officers (one male and one female) had their voices disguised for security reasons. The officers compared their real experience with the fictional portrayal of MI6 in the James Bond films. While denying that there ever existed a "[[licence to kill (concept)|licence to kill]]" and reiterating that MI6 operated under British law, the officers confirmed that there is a '[[Q (James Bond)|Q]]'-like figure who is head of the technology department, and that their director is referred to as 'C'. The officers described the lifestyle as quite glamorous and very varied, with plenty of overseas travel and adventure, and described their role primarily as intelligence gatherers, developing relationships with potential sources. The interview is seen largely as a public relations and employment tactic, following the placement of advertising for applicants on the agency's website for the first time in April 2006.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Intelligence]

On November 15 2006, MI6 allowed an interview with current operations officers for the first time. The interview was on the ''Colin Murray show'' on [[BBC]] Radio 1. The two officers (one male and one female) had their voices disguised for security reasons. The officers compared their real experience with the fictional portrayal of MI6 in the James Bond films. While denying that there ever existed a "[[licence to kill (concept)|licence to kill]]" and reiterating that MI6 operated under British law, the officers confirmed that there is a '[[Q (James Bond)|Q]]'-like figure who is head of the technology department, and that their director is referred to as 'C'. The officers described the lifestyle as quite glamorous and very varied, with plenty of overseas travel and adventure, and described their role primarily as intelligence gatherers, developing relationships with potential sources. The interview is seen largely as a public relations and employment tactic, following the placement of advertising for applicants on the agency's website for the first time in April 2006.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Intelligence]

#SIS Or MI6. What's In A Name?. SIS website. Retrieved on 2007-09-02.

#SIS Or MI6. What's In A Name?. SIS website. Retrieved on 2007-09-02.

== External links ==

== External links ==

* [http://www.sis.gov.uk Secret Intelligence Service (official)]

* [https://www.sis.gov.uk Secret Intelligence Service (official)]

* [http://www.intelligence.gov.uk/ UK Intelligence Community On Line]

* [https://www.intelligence.gov.uk/ UK Intelligence Community On Line]

* [http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1059736061019 Information about SIS] from the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]]'s website

* [https://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1059736061019 Information about SIS] from the [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office]]'s website

* [http://www.fas.org/irp/world/uk/mi6/ Entry for MI6] on the [[Federation of American Scientists]]' Intelligence Resource Program

* [https://www.fas.org/irp/world/uk/mi6/ Entry for MI6] on the [[Federation of American Scientists]]' Intelligence Resource Program