14 Intelligence Company
The 14 Intelligence Company was a special unit of the British Army, which was in Northern Ireland as an operational intelligence work component of the Intelligence Corps until 2005 in use.
Order
The unit was set up in 1970 to investigate their environment and other terrorist elements identified and suspected members of the IRA, and observe. Another observation focus was monitoring the Northern Irish Loyalists and their paramilitary and terrorist groups such as the Ulster Defence Association (UDA ), the Ulster Freedom Fighters ( UFF ), the Loyalist Volunteer Force ( LVF ) and the Ulster Volunteer Force ( UVF).
The 14 Intelligence Company worked regularly covered with human sources ( HUMINT ), but also operational electronic intelligence ( SIGINT).
The name of the unit had no traditional respect and can be seen as a simple purpose designation. In internal army jargon, the term was 14th usual. Another common nickname was " the Det " (from engl detatchment, here German Department. ).
The soldiers were unit internally similar to the U.S. Delta Force " operators " (English: Operators) called. Originally unique within the military special forces Britain recruited them from the beginning and women. Only the Special Reconnaissance Regiment was established in 2005 also introduced a women.
Since the unit was secret, its public awareness is relatively low. Publications were obtained primarily by former members.
Organization
The unit consisted of four main departments with different application areas:
- Mobile Reconnaissance Force ( MRF) (German Mobile reconnaissance group )
- 14 Intelligence and Security Company ( German 14th Intelligence and Security Company )
- Army Support Unit (German Army Support Group )
- Joint Communications Unit (Northern Ireland) (Eng. United Telephone and communication unit, Northern Ireland )
These four departments formed the "East Det " (Section East), stationed in the Palace Barracks, the " North Det " in Ballykelly, the "South Det " in Fermanagh and the " Main Det " ( the Department ) on the Royal Air Force base Aldergrove (RAF Aldergrove ).
Recruitment and training
The unit recruited its soldiers from other military formations from intelligence services and police sources. This came within the British military's frequent criticism since the unit was entitled to other units due to their high priority status in comparison to pick based on the personnel lists the necessary and appropriate soldiers, or to request.
All new entries went through a 9 - to 18-month special education, regardless of their existing training and later intended use.
In addition, the 14 parts of the intelligence Company were assigned United Kingdom in the Special Forces required.
History
In the early 1970s set up, was the area of operation Northern Ireland. Given the growing global terrorist threat the 14 Intelligence Company but was used more frequently abroad to elucidate hidden - usually tasks of the Secret Intelligence Service ( commonly known as " MI6 " ) or the Special Air Service.
This development was supported in 2005 with the establishment of the Special Reconnaissance Regiment bill, an independent reconnaissance and surveillance component of the British Army. Their orientation is the global intelligence, surveillance and counter-terrorism.
In the opinion of observers, the 14 Intelligence Company went on in the new unit substantially. Because of the force remains secret status but it is not clear whether this was done completely or only partially. A statement by the British government to not exist. It can be assumed, however, that parts of the unit are further in their original field of application Northern Ireland active, whether. Than SRR or in other units