British Military Intelligence Systems in Northern Ireland
Encyclopedia
The British Military is alleged by author Tony Geraghty
to have exploited a number of information sources during the Troubles
in Northern Ireland. Geraghty describes these in his book, The Irish War, basing his description on an extract from an unspecified, classified
document passed to him by an unspecified informant
, later identified as a former Army Officer, Nigel Wylde.
Geraghty claimed significant capabilities for these systems and extensive use by both British Military Intelligence and Police.
Police and charged with offences under the Official Secrets Act 1989
. The case against both was later dropped by the MoD.
(PIRA).
In 1997 an analysis system called Effigy was integrated with Vengeful under a project titled Mannequin allowing more detailed analysis of the vehicle movement data.
Tony Geraghty
Tony Geraghty is a British-Irish writer and journalist. He served in the Parachute Regiment, and was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal for his work as a military liaison officer with U.S. forces during the Gulf War...
to have exploited a number of information sources during the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
in Northern Ireland. Geraghty describes these in his book, The Irish War, basing his description on an extract from an unspecified, classified
Classified information in the United Kingdom
Classified information in the United Kingdom, now called Protectively Marked Information, is a system used to protect information from intentional or inadvertent release to unauthorised readers. The system is organised by the Cabinet Office and is implemented throughout central and local government...
document passed to him by an unspecified informant
Informant
An informant is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential or criminal informants , and can often refer pejoratively to the supply of information...
, later identified as a former Army Officer, Nigel Wylde.
Geraghty claimed significant capabilities for these systems and extensive use by both British Military Intelligence and Police.
Sourcing
Geraghty used as his source an extract from a classified document passed to him by Wylde. Following publication of The Irish War both were investigated by the Ministry of DefenceMinistry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
Police and charged with offences under the Official Secrets Act 1989
Official Secrets Act 1989
The Official Secrets Act 1989 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It repeals and replaces section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911. It is said to have removed the public interest defence created by that section....
. The case against both was later dropped by the MoD.
Military context
By 1994 the British military, intelligence and police apparatus in Northern Ireland had over thirty-seven separate intelligence gathering computer systems operating. Their focus was detection before, during and after paramilitary activity, with a particular focus on the activities of the Provisional Irish Republican ArmyProvisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(PIRA).
Vehicle tracking
Geraghty claims that a system called Vengeful was used to identify vehicles associated with a subject of interest and linked to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency of Northern Ireland.Subject of interest information collation
Geraghty claims that a system called Crucible was used to consolidate items of information about individuals including personal details, imagery, mapping, movements and activities. He alleges that this system was later replaced by a modernised system called Caister with some 350 terminals throughout the province operating at the secret level.Automated vehicle tracking
Gheraty claims that in 1997 the Vengeful system was connected to a camera network called Glutton that would automatically track the movements of vehicles identified as being related to subjects of interest. Geraghty claims that there were eighty overt and twenty covert camera locations in Northern Ireland and further deployment of camera equipment on the mainland.In 1997 an analysis system called Effigy was integrated with Vengeful under a project titled Mannequin allowing more detailed analysis of the vehicle movement data.