Belgian State Security Service
Encyclopedia
The Belgian State Security Service, known in Dutch as Veiligheid van de Staat, or Staatsveiligheid (SV), and in French as Sûreté de l'État (SE), is a Belgian intelligence agency. The State Security is a civilian agency under the authority of the Ministry of Justice, while the other federal intelligence agency, the Belgian General Information and Security Service
, operates under the authority of the Ministry of National Defense. Alain Winants is currently director of State Security, after Koen Dassen resigned amidst the controversy over State Security losing sight of suspected Kurdish terrorist Fehriye Erdal
.
This protection is given to important people visiting Belgium, such as visiting heads of state. This sometimes leads to conflicts of authority. An example for this can be seen in a visit by President George Bush of the United States to Brussels in 2006. The Secret Service there refused the Belgian authorities to come close to the president and refused to give up the close protection. Although in accordance with international treaties protection should be given by the welcoming state, Secret Service personnel refused to give up their weapons.
Westland New Post
brought attention and criticism to the activities and ineffectiveness of the nation's police and intelligence agencies.
In 1991, following two government enquiries, a permanent parliamentary committee, Committee I
, was established to bring these agencies, not previously subject to any outside control, under the authority of Belgium's federal parliament. Legislation governing the missions and methods of these agencies was put in place in 1998.
These powers are, among others: the possibility to put taps on phones, to enter homes of people suspected of being involved in terrorist activities without them knowing, or to detain and question people. This all under the supervision of specially appointed judges, much like the system already in place in the policing system with what are called Inquiry Judges.
This adjustment of the system has made the Security Service more like its kins in other countries. They are however not yet as strong as the services in Britain or France.
The change in policy had been in the loop since several years, but recent events gave the final impulse for change. Among others, there was the escape of Fehriye Erdal.
Belgian General Information and Security Service
The General Intelligence and Security Service , known in Dutch as Algemene Dienst Inlichting en Veiligheid , and in French as Service Général du Renseignement et de la Sécurité is the Belgian military intelligence service under responsibility of the Minister of National Defense...
, operates under the authority of the Ministry of National Defense. Alain Winants is currently director of State Security, after Koen Dassen resigned amidst the controversy over State Security losing sight of suspected Kurdish terrorist Fehriye Erdal
Fehriye Erdal
Fehriye Erdal is a female political activist of Kurdish origin from Turkey. She was one of the three DHKP-C members allegedly involved in the assassination of a Turkish businessman, Özdemir Sabancı and two of his employees on January 9, 1996 in Istanbul, Turkey. In 2008 however, she was acquitted...
.
Tasks
The main objective of State Security is the collection, analyzing and processing of all intelligence that might prove relevant to the prevention of any activity that might be a threat against the internal or external security of the state, the democratic and constitutional order and international relations, to carry out security inquiries, and to perform tasks in relation to the protection of certain people.This protection is given to important people visiting Belgium, such as visiting heads of state. This sometimes leads to conflicts of authority. An example for this can be seen in a visit by President George Bush of the United States to Brussels in 2006. The Secret Service there refused the Belgian authorities to come close to the president and refused to give up the close protection. Although in accordance with international treaties protection should be given by the welcoming state, Secret Service personnel refused to give up their weapons.
Directors
Since the Second World War, the Belgian Security Service has had the following directors (called 'administrateur général'):- Robert de FoyRobert de FoyRobert Herman Alfred de Foy was a Belgian magistrate, and head of the Belgian State Security Service, before and after the Second World War.-Personal life:...
(1933–1940 & 1947–1958) - Fernand Lepage (1940–1944) (for the Belgian government in exile in London)
- Ludovicus Caeymaex (1958–1977)
- Albert RaesAlbert RaesAlbert Raes was a Belgian magistrate and head of the Belgian Security Services.-Biography:Raes is the son of Firmin Raes, executive at 'La Brugeoise' and chief of The Chamber of Rhetoric 'De Drie Santinnen'...
(1977 – June 1990) - Stephane Schewebach (1990–1993, ad interim)
- Bart van Lijsebeth (1994 – September 1999)
- Godelieve Timmermans (June 2000 – August 2002)
- Koen Dassen (September 2002 – February 2006)
- Alain Winants (October 27, 2006 – present)
Parliamentary supervision
During the 1980s, a number of incidents including the Walloon Brabant supermarket killings, the activities of terrorist groups such as the Combatant Communist Cells and the neo-NazistNeo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism consists of post-World War II social or political movements seeking to revive Nazism or some variant thereof.The term neo-Nazism can also refer to the ideology of these movements....
Westland New Post
Westland New Post
Westland New Post was a Belgian extreme right-wing organization founded in March 1981 by Paul Latinus and members of the Front de la Jeunesse...
brought attention and criticism to the activities and ineffectiveness of the nation's police and intelligence agencies.
In 1991, following two government enquiries, a permanent parliamentary committee, Committee I
Committee I
The Committee I, or the Permanent Oversight Committee on the Intelligence and Security Services , exercises external oversight over the Belgian State Security Service and the General Intelligence and Security Service...
, was established to bring these agencies, not previously subject to any outside control, under the authority of Belgium's federal parliament. Legislation governing the missions and methods of these agencies was put in place in 1998.
Entitlement
The entitlements of the Security Service were expanded in 2006. Before, they did not have much police power, and were only able to gather and analyse information. They were allowed to follow people, but not to interfere. This has changed now with what are called the Special Inquiry Methods. They have given several more powers to the Service, enabling them to work more efficiently.These powers are, among others: the possibility to put taps on phones, to enter homes of people suspected of being involved in terrorist activities without them knowing, or to detain and question people. This all under the supervision of specially appointed judges, much like the system already in place in the policing system with what are called Inquiry Judges.
This adjustment of the system has made the Security Service more like its kins in other countries. They are however not yet as strong as the services in Britain or France.
The change in policy had been in the loop since several years, but recent events gave the final impulse for change. Among others, there was the escape of Fehriye Erdal.
Literature and sources
- F. CAESTECKER, Alien Police in Belgium 1840-1940. The creation of guest workers, New York - Oxford, 2000.
- C. CARPENTIER & F. MOSER, La Sûreté de l'État: histoire d'une déstabilisation, Ottignies, 1993.
- L. CAYMAEX, L'administration de la Sûreté Publique, Brussels, 1965.
- M. COOLS, K. DASSEN, R. LIBERT, P. PONSAERTS (eds.), La Sûreté. Essais sur les 175 ans de la Sûreté de l'État, Brussels, Politeia, 2005.
- J. GOTOVITCH & J. GERARD-LIBOIS, L'An 40. La Belgique occupée, Bruxelles, 1973.
- L. KEUNINGS, The Secret Police in nineteenth century Brussels, in: Intelligence and National Security, 1989.
- L. VAN OUTRYVE, Les services de renseignement et de sécurité, Bruxelles, Courier du CRISP, 1999.
- S. VERVAECK, Inventaire des archives du Ministère de la justice, administration de la sûreté publique, police des étrangers, dossier généraux, Bruxelles, Archives générales du royaume, 1968.
See also
- Belgian stay-behind networkBelgian stay-behind networkThe Belgian stay-behind network, colloquially called "Gladio" was a secret mixed civilian and military unit, trained to form a resistance movement in the event of a Soviet invasion and part of a network of similar organizations in NATO-countries...
- Gladio in Belgium