Defence Intelligence Staff

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The Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS) is an element of the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence, responsible for collection and assessment of all-source intelligence. The DIS provides advice to the MOD, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, other government departments, NATO and the European Union related to the commitment and employment of UK's armed forces, to inform procurement decisions; and to support military operations.[1] It was created in 1964 through a merger of the three single service intelligence organisations and the Directorate of Military Intelligence.

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[edit] Organisation

Defence Intelligence is one of the four principal Intelligence organisations within the UK Government intelligence machinery [2], together with the Secret Intelligence Service (popularly known as MI6), Security Service (popularly known as MI5) and Government Communications Headquarters under the direction of the Joint Intelligence Committee.

Defence Intelligence is responsible for both collection of intelligence material and for the preparation of intelligence product, analysis of all source material to advise policy creation throughout government. Areas of interest include military capabilities and threats, counter terrorism, counter proliferation and geo-political stability.

Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI) is a serving three star officer in one of the armed forces, normally the post is rotational however the current incumbent, Air Marshal Stu Peach, is apparently out of sequence. CDIs post was created in 1984 from the merger of the posts of Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Intelligence) (DCDS(I) and Director-General Intelligence (DGI), both three star officers.

CDI is responsible for the DI Intelligence Collection Group, headed by Director General Intelligence Collection, the DI Assessment Staff, headed by Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence and a number of corporate directorates which provide resourcing, a customer interface and an Operations capability.

[edit] DI ICG

The DI ICG is the largest element of DI and is responsible for the collection of Signals, Geo-spatial, Imagery and Measurement and Signature Intelligence. Headed by Director General Intelligence collection the ICG Headquarters is at Feltham, Middlesex. ICG comprises; Defence Geographic Centre, Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre, Joint Service Signals Organisation and Joint Aeronautical and Geospatial Organisation.[3]

[edit] DIAS

The DI Assessment Staff compiles intelligence product using classified intelligence material from DI ICG and other government organisations such as SIS, SS, and GCHQ as well as open source intelligence from other sources.[4]

Headed by the Deputy CDI, currently Mr Tony Pawson the DIAS is made up of a mix of military and civilian personnel drawing on research, scientific, technical and linguistic skillsets. DIAS includes three main business units; DI Strategic Assessment, DI Scientific and Technical and Directorate of Targeting and Information Operations.

[edit] DISC

The Defence Intelligence and Security Centre, at Chicksands, Bedfordshire, provides training in intelligence collection and assessment skills including; research and analysis, linguistics, imagery analysis, photography and security. DISC is co-located with the headquarters of the British Armys Intelligence Corps.

[edit] DIS in the political justification for the 2003 invasion of Iraq (Operation TELIC)

In an effort to demonstrate justification for British participation in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Operation TELIC, use was made of intelligence material and product to compile a dossier officially released into the public domain by the British Prime Minister, Rt Hon Tony Blair esq. The dossier was compiled by the JIC and published in September 2002 support the case for invasion. Shortly after the dossier was published, Parliament ratified the governments decision to go to war.

A number of weapon specialist staff in the DIAS expressed concern about the wording, related to the existence of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq and the corresponding threat to the UK. Dr Brian Jones, head of the counter-proliferation analysis branch with others complained in writing to the then DCDI (Tony Cragg) that the wording of the dossier was too strong. A particular source of criticism was a claim that Iraq "could" launch Chemical or Biological Weapons within 45 minutes of an order to do so, should have been hedged about with caveats. These concerns were overuled by the then CDI Air Marshal Sir Joe French.

Another eminent weapons expert who worked closely with the DIS, Dr David Kelly, following off-the-record briefings to journalists his criticisms of the 45 minute claim, describing it as risible, were broadcast on the BBCs Today programme by Andrew Gilligan. The resulting controversy and release of Kellys name as the source of the report led to his suicide near his home.

The subsequent inquiry, chaired by Lord Hutton, the Hutton Inquiry, into the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr Kelly resulted in the discussion of these issues in public. It was revealed to the inquiry that the 45 minutes claim was based on "compartmentalized" intelligence which had not been exposed to Dr Jones branch. Jones has subsequently said that it was unlikely that should anyone with WMD expertise had seen the "compartmentalized" report prior to its inclusion in the dossier they would have supported its credibility.[5]

Chemical and Biological munitions were never deployed during the war, and no evidence of WMD has been found to date. It was succeeded by the Butler Review.

[edit] Chiefs of Defence Intelligence (1985-)

[edit] Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Intelligence) (1964-1984)

  • Air Marshal Sir Michael Armitage 1985-1986
  • Lieutenant-General Sir James Glover 1981-1983
  • Vice-Admiral Sir Roy Halliday 1978-1981
  • Air Marshal Sir Richard Wakeford 1975-1978
  • Lieutenant-General Sir David Willison 1972-1975
  • Vice-Admiral Sir Louis Le Bailly 1971-1972
  • Lieutenant-General Sir Richard Fyffe 1968-1971
  • Air Marshal Sir Harold Maguire 1965-1968
  • Vice-Admiral Sir Norman Denning 1964-1965

[edit] Director-General Intelligence (1964-1984)

  • Vice-Admiral Sir Roy Halliday, rtd 1981-1984
  • Air Chief Marshal Sir John Aiken, rtd 1978-1981
  • Lieutenant-General Sir David Willison, rtd 1975-1978
  • Vice-Admiral Sir Louis Le Bailly, rtd 1972-1975
  • Air Marshal Sir Harold Maguire, rtd 1968-1972
  • Air Chief Marshal Sir Alfred Earle, rtd 1966-1968
  • Major-General Sir Kenneth Strong, KBE CB 1964-1966

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ MOD accessed 21 Oct 06
  2. ^ PDF National Intelligence Machinery accessed 21 Oct 06
  3. ^ MOD accessed 21 Oct 06
  4. ^ MOD accessed 21 Oct 06
  5. ^ The Independent, February 4 2004, Comment article by Dr Brian Jones

[edit] External links

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