Sistema de Informações da República Portuguesa
Encyclopedia
The SIRP - Sistema de Informações da República Portuguesa (Intelligence System of the Portuguese Republic) is the coordinating structure of Portuguese intelligence.
It is the parent body for two separate intelligence services: the SIS
- Serviço de Informações de Segurança (Security Intelligence Service) Portugal
's intelligence agency
for internal security, and the SIED - Serviço de Informações Estratégicas de Defesa (Defense Strategic Intelligence Service) for foreign intelligence
.
The SIS and the SIED are the public services responsible for ensuring - within the Constitution
and the law
- the production of intelligence necessary to the safeguard of the national independence and the safeguard of the internal security.
- Polícia Internacional e de Defesa do Estado (International and State Defense Police). Nominally under jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior, PIDE was in fact a secret police
force controlled directly by Portuguese
prime-minister António de Oliveira Salazar
. In 1968, under Salazar's successor Marcello Caetano, PIDE was renamed the Direcção Geral de Segurança (DGS, Directorate General of Security) and underwent some reform. Following a coup
by the Portuguese military in 1974 the agency was immediately abolished due to the abhorrence felt for the PIDE/DGS as a tool of the authoritarian regime.
Because of the memory of the abuses of the PIDE/DGS in supporting the regime the establishment of a new civilian intelligence agency was delayed for more than a decade. However, following a terrorist attack on the Embassy of Turkey
and the assassination of a Palestine Liberation Organization
representative at a Socialist International
conference in 1983, and a number of domestic terrorist attacks, the Portuguese government
became convinced of the need for a new intelligence agency. This led to the establishment of SIRP in 1984.
The SIRP is under the direct authority of the Prime Minister of Portugal
and includes:
The Secretary General - equivalent to a secretary of State and designated by the Prime-Minister - is the head of the SIRP and coordinates the directors of the SIED and the SIS. It is the inspection, supervision and coordination organ of both the intelligence services.
Directly under the Secretary General is the Administrative and Technical Support Office and the four joint departments of the SIRP (Finance and General Support, Security, Human Resources and Information Technology).
It is the parent body for two separate intelligence services: the SIS
Sis
- Places :* Sis * Sis, Armenia, a town* Sis, Azerbaijan, a village* Sis, Iran, a city* Kozan, Adana, Sis in Armenian* Mountains of Sis, a range of the Pre-Pyrenees- Other :...
- Serviço de Informações de Segurança (Security Intelligence Service) Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
's intelligence agency
Intelligence agency
An intelligence agency is a governmental agency that is devoted to information gathering for purposes of national security and defence. Means of information gathering may include espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public...
for internal security, and the SIED - Serviço de Informações Estratégicas de Defesa (Defense Strategic Intelligence Service) for foreign intelligence
Intelligence
Intelligence has been defined in different ways, including the abilities for abstract thought, understanding, communication, reasoning, learning, planning, emotional intelligence and problem solving....
.
The SIS and the SIED are the public services responsible for ensuring - within the Constitution
Constitution of Portugal
The first Portuguese Constitution was drafted in 1822. Several revolutions led to the constitutions of 1826 , 1838 , 1911 , 1933 , and 1976 ....
and the law
Law of Portugal
The Law of Portugal is the legal system that applies in Portugal. The Portuguese legal system is a civil law or continental legal system, based on Roman law...
- the production of intelligence necessary to the safeguard of the national independence and the safeguard of the internal security.
History
During the New State regime and until its end in 1974, the main intelligence agency in Portugal was the PIDEPIDE
In 1969, Marcello Caetano changed the name PIDE to DGS . The death of Salazar and the subsequent ascension of Caetano brought some attempts at democratization, in order to avoid popular insurgency against censorship, the ongoing colonial war and the general restriction of civil rights...
- Polícia Internacional e de Defesa do Estado (International and State Defense Police). Nominally under jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Interior, PIDE was in fact a secret police
Secret police
Secret police are a police agency which operates in secrecy and beyond the law to protect the political power of an individual dictator or an authoritarian political regime....
force controlled directly by Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
prime-minister António de Oliveira Salazar
António de Oliveira Salazar
António de Oliveira Salazar, GColIH, GCTE, GCSE served as the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1932 to 1968. He also served as acting President of the Republic briefly in 1951. He founded and led the Estado Novo , the authoritarian, right-wing government that presided over and controlled Portugal...
. In 1968, under Salazar's successor Marcello Caetano, PIDE was renamed the Direcção Geral de Segurança (DGS, Directorate General of Security) and underwent some reform. Following a coup
Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the 25 de Abril , was a military coup started on 25 April 1974, in Lisbon, Portugal, coupled with an unanticipated and extensive campaign of civil resistance...
by the Portuguese military in 1974 the agency was immediately abolished due to the abhorrence felt for the PIDE/DGS as a tool of the authoritarian regime.
Because of the memory of the abuses of the PIDE/DGS in supporting the regime the establishment of a new civilian intelligence agency was delayed for more than a decade. However, following a terrorist attack on the Embassy of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and the assassination of a Palestine Liberation Organization
Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization is a political and paramilitary organization which was created in 1964. It is recognized as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" by the United Nations and over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations, and has enjoyed...
representative at a Socialist International
Socialist International
The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...
conference in 1983, and a number of domestic terrorist attacks, the Portuguese government
Government of Portugal
The Government is one of the four sovereignty organs of the Portuguese Republic. It is also the organ that conducts politics in general in the country and is also the superior body in public administration...
became convinced of the need for a new intelligence agency. This led to the establishment of SIRP in 1984.
Organization
Prime Minister of Portugal
Prime Minister is the current title of the chief of the Portuguese Government. As chief executive, the Prime Minister coordinates the action of ministers, representing the Government from the other organs of state, accountable to Parliament and keeps the President informed...
and includes:
- the Supervisory Council of the SIRP (under the authority of the Portuguese ParliamentAssembly of the RepublicThe Assembly of the Republic is the Portuguese parliament. It is located in a historical building in Lisbon, referred to as Palácio de São Bento, the site of an old Benedictine monastery...
); - the Data Supervisory Committee of the SIRP (under the authority of the Attorney General of PortugalPublic Ministry (Portugal)The Ministério Público is the Portuguese body of autonomous magistrates formed of public prosecutors. It is a body of the Portuguese judicial system which includes the Procuradoria-Geral da República....
); - the Superior Council of Intelligence;
- the Secretary General of the SIRP;
- the SIED;
- the SIS.
The Secretary General - equivalent to a secretary of State and designated by the Prime-Minister - is the head of the SIRP and coordinates the directors of the SIED and the SIS. It is the inspection, supervision and coordination organ of both the intelligence services.
Directly under the Secretary General is the Administrative and Technical Support Office and the four joint departments of the SIRP (Finance and General Support, Security, Human Resources and Information Technology).
See also
- List of intelligence agencies
- Serviços de Informações de Segurança
- PIDEPIDEIn 1969, Marcello Caetano changed the name PIDE to DGS . The death of Salazar and the subsequent ascension of Caetano brought some attempts at democratization, in order to avoid popular insurgency against censorship, the ongoing colonial war and the general restriction of civil rights...