Military Intelligence

synonyms: Army Intelligence Military Intelligence is a section within the British Army responsible for gathering, analysing, and acting upon information about paramilitary organisations. Military Intelligence was one of a number of agencies operating in Northern Ireland that had an intelligence remit - others included the Special Branch of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), and Security Service (MI5). Military Intelligence has been active in Northern Ireland at least since the deployment of British troops on 14 August 1969. However, Military Intelligence would have stepped up its operations following the imposition of 'Direct Rule' on 30 March 1972. The Special Powers Act and more recent Emergency Legislation was used by ordinary soldiers and intelligence officers to screen large numbers of people, mostly working-class Catholic males. This screening process began in the early 1970s and was used as a means of recording basic information including: name, date of birth, address, family members, place of work, distinguishing physical characteristics, photograph, etc. Often this screening process was conducted on a large scale with scores, or sometimes hundreds, of Catholic men between the ages of 16 and 60 being 'lifted' during raids on their homes and taken to a British Army barracks where the information was collected and recorded. Information was also gathered at static and mobile checkpoints, and through observation at particular locations by soldiers in watchtowers. Military Intelligence also used informers who were active in paramilitary organisations as sources of information. Within Military Intelligence there was a special unit known as Military Reconnaissance Force (MRF) (also called Force Research Unit; FRU) which conducted covert operations involving undercover soldiers during the early 1970s. Another role of the MRF (/FRU) was to recruit Republican and Loyalist paramilitary members to work as double-agents for Military Intelligence. Reading: Taylor, Peter. (2001) Brits: The War Against the IRA. (See also: Force Research Unit, FRU; Mobile Reconnaissance Force, MRF; 14 Intelligence Company.)