Politiets sikkerhetstjeneste
Encyclopedia
The Norwegian Police Security Service is the police security agency
of Norway
, somewhat comparable to the British
MI5
. The agency was previously known as POT (Politiets overvåkningstjeneste or Police Surveillance Agency), the name change was dictated by the Parliament of Norway on 2 June 2001.
The service was established in 1936 or 1937. It is responsible for monitoring and securing the interior security in Norway. Known operational departments include counterintelligence unit, counterterrorism unit, counterproliferation and organized crime unit, counterextremism unit, investigation unit, surveillance unit, technology unit, security analysis unit and foreign citizens unit. In addition, PST is in charge of all VIP protection domestically and abroad except for the royal family, which has its own independent escort service.
PST is unlike all ordinary police services not a part of the National Police Directorate but like Økokrim
and several other special police units placed directly under the Ministry of Justice and the Police. Also, the agency is under the direct scrutiny of the Norwegian Parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Committee
, after it conducted unlawful political surveillance on national citizens during the Cold War
.
The organization consists of Den Sentrale Enhet (central unit) that is located in Nydalen
, Oslo
, as well as individual police officers in all the police regions.
The organization is currently headed by Janne Kristiansen
.
comissions, has not been publicized according to Dagbladet
.
Magnus Ranstorp
said "It is extremely odd and unfortunate that PST shall investigate itself".
Security agency
A security agency is a governmental organization which conducts intelligence activities for the internal security of a nation. They are the domestic cousins of foreign intelligence agencies...
of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, somewhat comparable to the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
. The agency was previously known as POT (Politiets overvåkningstjeneste or Police Surveillance Agency), the name change was dictated by the Parliament of Norway on 2 June 2001.
The service was established in 1936 or 1937. It is responsible for monitoring and securing the interior security in Norway. Known operational departments include counterintelligence unit, counterterrorism unit, counterproliferation and organized crime unit, counterextremism unit, investigation unit, surveillance unit, technology unit, security analysis unit and foreign citizens unit. In addition, PST is in charge of all VIP protection domestically and abroad except for the royal family, which has its own independent escort service.
PST is unlike all ordinary police services not a part of the National Police Directorate but like Økokrim
Økokrim
The National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime is Norway's central unit for fighting economic and environmental crimes. The unit, created in 1989, has its main office in Oslo....
and several other special police units placed directly under the Ministry of Justice and the Police. Also, the agency is under the direct scrutiny of the Norwegian Parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Committee
Norwegian Parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Committee
The Norwegian Parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Committee , commonly known as the EOS Committee is the body responsible for supervising public intelligence, surveillance and security services. The body has seven members and is appointed by the Parliament of Norway...
, after it conducted unlawful political surveillance on national citizens during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
Nydalen
Nydalen is a neighbourhood in the Nordre Aker borough in northern Oslo, Norway.- History :Since the late 19th century Nydalen has been a largely industrial area...
, Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, as well as individual police officers in all the police regions.
The organization is currently headed by Janne Kristiansen
Janne Kristiansen
Janne Kristiansen is a Norwegian jurist.She worked as a public defender in Borgarting Court of Appeal from 1986 and Moss District Court from 1990. From 2004 to 2009 she led the Norwegian Criminal Cases Review Commission....
.
Evaluation of work done prior to attacks of July 22, 2011
The agency is scheduled to investigate itself, to find out if their intelligence work was beyond reproach (forsvarlig) prior to the Oslo bombing and the Utøya mass murder. The identity of the leaders of the (agency's) two fact-findingFact-finding
Fact-finding is the job of a person or group of persons in a judicial or administrative proceeding that has or have the responsibility of determining the facts relevant to decide a controversy. The term trier of fact generally denotes the same function...
comissions, has not been publicized according to Dagbladet
Dagbladet
Dagbladet is Norway's second largest tabloid newspaper, and the third largest newspaper overall with a circulation of 105,255 copies in 2009, 18,128 papers less than in 2008. The editor in chief is Lars Helle....
.
Magnus Ranstorp
Magnus Ranstorp
Dr Magnus Ranstorp, born March 13, 1965 in Hästveda, studies Hizballah, Hamas, al-Qaeda and other militant Islamic movements. He is the Research Director of the Centre for Asymmetric Threat Studies at the Swedish National Defence College, directing a project on Strategic Terrorist Threats to Europe...
said "It is extremely odd and unfortunate that PST shall investigate itself".
Directors
This is a list of the directors of the agency.- 1957-1966 : Asbjørn BryhnAsbjørn BryhnAsbjørn Johan Bryhn was a Norwegian police officer, known for his resistance work during World War II, and later head of the Norwegian Police Surveillance Agency.-Personal life:...
- 1967-1982 : Gunnar HaarstadGunnar HaarstadGunnar Haarstad was a Norwegian jurist and police officer, a resistance member during World War II, and later head of the Norwegian Police Surveillance Agency for fifteen years.-Early life and career:...
- 1982-1990 : Jostein ErstadJostein ErstadJostein Einar Erstad was a Norwegian jurist.He was born in Skodje. He was a police superintendent in Oslo from 1962 to 1966, teacher at the Norwegian Police Academy from 1966 to 1971, public prosecutor in Eidsivating Court of Appeal from 1971 to 1981, chief public prosecutor from 1981 to 1982 and...
- 1990-1991 : Svein UrdalSvein UrdalSvein Urdal is a Norwegian jurist.He was born in Horten, and graduated with the cand.jur. degree in 1970. He was a sub-director at Ullersmo prison from 1972 to 1977, police superintendent in Vadsø from 1977 to 1980, police inspector in Hamar 1980 to 1987 and chief of police in Troms from 1987 to...
- 1991-1993 : Jan GrøndahlJan GrøndahlJan Grøndahl is a Norwegian police chief and civil servant.He was born in Oslo, and took the cand.jur. degree. After spending the years 1972 to 1977 as chief of police in Sør-Varanger, he served as Governor of Svalbard from 1978 to 1982 and chief of police in Hamar from 1982 to 1998—except...
(acting) - 1993-1996 : Hans Olav ØstgaardHans Olav ØstgaardHans Olav Østgaard is a Norwegian jurist.He was born in Oslo, and graduated with the cand.jur. degree in 1969. He was hired in the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Police in 1970, and was promoted to deputy under-secretary of state in 1982. In 1993 he was appointed as director of the...
- 1996-1997 : Ellen Holager AndenæsEllen Holager AndenæsEllen Aimée Holager Andenæs is a Norwegian jurist.She was born in Oslo. She was a junior solicitor in the Norwegian Prosecuting Authority from 1982 to 1983, public prosecutor in Eidsivating Court of Appeal from 1983 to 1987, police inspector in Oslo from 1987 to 1994, and presiding judge in...
(acting) - 1997-2003 : Per SeflandPer SeflandPer Ottar Sefland is a previous Governor of Svalbard. He served from 1 October 2005 to 16 September 2009.Sefland was born in Evje, and his family later moved to Larvik. He married in 1972, and has two daughters....
- 2003-2004 : Arnstein ØverkilArnstein ØverkilArnstein Øverkil is a Norwegian police chief and civil servant.He comes from Hegra, and from 1985 to 2002 he was the chief of police in Asker and Bærum Police District. In 2003 he was appointed as acting director of the Norwegian Police Security Service...
(acting) - 2004-2009 : Jørn HolmeJørn HolmeJørn Holme is a Norwegian judge and civil servant.He grew up at Nordberg, and originally wanted to become a priest. He was active in the Norwegian Christian Student Association while studying. He graduated with the cand.jur. degree from the University of Oslo in 1986...
- 2009-2009 : Roger Berg (acting)
- 2009–present : Janne KristiansenJanne KristiansenJanne Kristiansen is a Norwegian jurist.She worked as a public defender in Borgarting Court of Appeal from 1986 and Moss District Court from 1990. From 2004 to 2009 she led the Norwegian Criminal Cases Review Commission....