荒诞和误解--英国军情五处介绍

MYTHS AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS
荒诞和误解---自己翻译(看心情和时间   MTJS)
Manymyths and misunderstandings surround the Security Service and its work.This page counters some of the most popular misconceptions. Answers tocommon enquiries sent to the Service are provided on the "Frequently Asked Questions" page.
很多的荒诞和误解的说法包围着安全机构并且起着作用。这里计数了很多的流行的误解，倘若有公共问题可以发送到服务部门: "Frequently Asked Questions"
MI5 is the "Secret Police"
MI5 only works in the UK
MI5 carries out assassinations
MI5 "vets" Ministers and MPs
MI5 monitors the private lives of Ministers and other public figures
MI5 "vets" every public sector employee
MI5 investigates Whitehall "leaks"
MI5 investigates trade unions and pressure groups
MI5 taps telephones and eavesdrops illegally
MI5 has access to all official computers
MI5 spies on Muslims
MI5 plotted to undermine Harold Wilson
MI5 Head in the 1960s was a Russian spy
MI5 only recruits a certain type of individual
MI5 does not recruit tall people
MI5 staff are prohibited from saying anything about the Service
MI5 is helping terrorists by making secret information publicly available on its website
1. MI5 is the "Secret Police"
Weare a civilian organisation and members of staff have no executivepowers, such as the authority to detain or arrest people. We are not a"secret police force".
Our investigations are shared with thepolice or other law enforcement agencies when there is a prospect ofthe arrest of people who are committing or planning criminal offences.Over a number of years we have developed and applied procedures thatenable our intelligence to be admitted as evidence in criminalproceedings (see "Evidence and Disclosure").In addition, we may recommend to the Home Office or to the Foreign& Commonwealth Office that known terrorists or foreign intelligenceofficers, for example, be refused entry to the UK or be deported orexpelled. However, the decision whether to do so lies outside theService.
1,MI5是“秘密警察”
我们是一个文官组织并且是英军参谋机构成员，没有执行权力，例如像这样的职权：拘留或者逮捕人。我们并不是秘密警察部队。
我们与警察或者其它执法机构共享调查结果，当人们有犯罪企图或者计划犯罪的时候。经过许多年的发展和应用的工作程序能够使我们聪明的去确认犯罪行动中的迹象。另外，我们可以交付内政部或者外交&联邦办公室那些已知恐怖分子或者外国的间谍机构，例如，拒绝进入英国或者被驱逐或者开除.总之是断定外部欺骗的部门(反间谍机构)
2. MI5 only works in the UK
Media reporting sometimes confuses the geographical scope of our work.Threats to national securityoften come from abroad, for example from foreign intelligence servicesor from terrorist groups based overseas. Moreover, the scope ofnational security extends beyond the British Isles and may involve theprotection of British interests worldwide, e.g. diplomatic premises andstaff, British companies and investments and British citizens living ortravelling abroad. Security threats to British interests anywhere inthe world fall within the scope of our functions as set out in theSecurity Service Act 1989.
In dealing with security threatsoverseas we co-operate closely with the Secret Intelligence Service(SIS) and Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), who areresponsible for gathering intelligence overseas, and with the Foreign& Commonwealth Office. We also co-operate with foreign policeforces and intelligence agencies. (See also: "Partnerships").
2,MI5只在英国境内活动
媒体报告有时搞混了我们的工作地域。 国外的一些恐吓时常威胁到国家安全。例如来自于外国的智能服务机构（间谍组织）或者来自以海外为基地的恐怖分子组织。此外，国家安全范围扩展到不列颠群岛并且可能包括英国在全世界所关注保护的对象，举例来说外交前提和供给人员，英国公司和投资和英国市民生活或海外旅行。对英国在全世界感兴趣的任何地方的安全威胁，1989年法案都规定为我们行使职能的范围。
在关于安全威胁的海外行动中我们与秘密情报机关（特务组织SIS）和政府通信总部(国家信息监控机构GCHQ)密切合作, 他们负责搜集海外情报，并且包括外交&联邦办公室的参与，我们同样与外国警方和情报中介合作。
3. MI5 carries out assassinations
Itis claimed from time to time that we have been responsible formurdering individuals who have become "inconvenient" in some way. We donot kill people or arrange their assassination. We are subject to therule of law in just the same way as other public bodies.

4. MI5 "vets" Ministers and Members of Parliament
Ministersand MPs are not subject to vetting. An incoming Prime Minister willonly be told of any information we hold on a potential member of thenew Cabinet if that information is both serious in the context ofnational security and it appears likely that the individual concernedwill need access to sensitive information. This has been publicknowledge since 1973, when it was referred to in the Report of theSecurity Commission on the Jellicoe-Lambton affair. In its 1997/98report the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) referred to thefact that since 1992 the Leader of the Opposition has also beeninformed of any serious security issue concerning a possible member ofthe Shadow Cabinet. The numbers involved are very small indeed.

5. MI5 monitors the private lives of Ministers and other public figures
Weare sometimes alleged to be responsible for monitoring the privatelives of people because they have a high public profile, includingmembers of the Royal Family, Government Ministers and Members ofParliament. This is not the case. We only investigate individuals whoseactivities fall within our statutory remit under the Security ServiceAct 1989.

6. We "vet" every government employee
Ourrole in the vetting of candidates for employment in sensitivegovernment posts is based solely on checks against our records and,where appropriate, with liaison services overseas. Decisions onemploying staff are the responsibility of the Department concerned andwe do not investigate or interview candidates on their behalf.
TheSecurity Service Act 1989 stipulates that we may only discloseinformation for use in deciding whether someone should be employed insensitive work if we do so in accordance with arrangements approved bythe Home Secretary. If, when we check, we find that we have asignificant and relevant security record on an applicant, we mayprovide a summary assessment of the security information. However, themere existence of a Security Service record does not necessarily meanthat an assessment will be made. There is no "blacklist".

7. MI5 investigates Whitehall "leaks"
Wedo not carry out inquiries into leaks of information from Government,except where national security may be affected. As part of ourprotective security role, we do give advice to Government on securitypolicy and practice and ourNational Security Advice Centre (NSAC) carries out audits of security arrangements within other Departments on request. But we have no "policing" role.

8. MI5 investigates trade unions and pressure groups
Ithas often been alleged that, in the past, we systematicallyinvestigated trade unions and various pressure groups, such as theNational Union of Mineworkers and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
Wehave never investigated people simply because they were members oroffice-holders of trade unions or campaigning organisations. Butsubversive groups have in the past sought to infiltrate and manipulatesuch organisations as a way of exerting political influence.
Tomeet our responsibility for protecting national security, we thereforeinvestigated individual members of bona fide organisations when therewere grounds to believe that their actions were "intended to overthrowor undermine parliamentary democracy by political, industrial orviolent means". We investigated the activities of the subversivegroups, but not the organisations they sought to penetrate. Any pastinvestigations were carried out within the laws and processes agreed byParliament at the time.
When the Security Service Bill wasdebated in Parliament in 1988, the then Home Secretary, Douglas Hurd,spelt out the basis for the Service‘s work in this area:
"Itdoes not matter if... people have views on the structure ororganisation of Parliament or if they are involved in seeking to changeindustrial practices in this country or to negotiate a better deal ifthey are members of trade unions, or if they seek to challenge orchange the Government‘s policies relating to defence, employment,foreign policy or anything else... Its [the Service‘s] sole criterionin relation to a subversive threat is whether there is a deliberateintention to undermine parliamentary democracy and whether thatpresents a real threat to the security of the nation."
The subversive threat to parliamentary democracy in the UK is now negligible and we have no current investigations in this area.

9. MI5 taps telephones and eavesdrops illegally
Wedo not tap telephones or install eavesdropping equipment illegally. Incarrying out such operations we comply fully with the provisions of theRegulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA). Where aneavesdropping operation would also involve entry or interference with aproperty, a separate warrant is obtained under the IntelligenceServices Act 1994. (See also "Methods of gathering intelligence").

10. MI5 has access to all official computers
Wedo not have access to other government departments‘ computer systems.If we have a legitimate requirement for information from otherdepartments, we request that information formally and on an individualbasis.

11. MI5 spies on and harasses Muslims
Thisis not true. We have no interest in non-violent political or religiousmovements and do not investigate any individuals on the grounds ofethnicity or religious beliefs.
Countering the threat frominternational terrorists, including those who claim to be acting forIslam, is the Security Service‘s highest priority. We know that attacksare being considered and planned for the UK byAl Qaida and associated networks.International terrorists in this country threaten us directly throughviolence and indirectly through supporting violence overseas.
Muslimsare often themselves the victims of this violence - the series ofterrorist attacks in Casablanca in May 2003 and Riyadh in May andNovember 2003 illustrate this.
The Service also employs staff of all religions, including Muslims. We are committed to recruiting adiverse range of staff from all backgrounds so that we can benefit from their different perspectives and experience. Ourrecruitment websitehas further details of employment opportunities for British citizenswho speak other languages (this information is also available inArabic andUrdu).

12. MI5 plotted to undermine Harold Wilson
Inhis book "Spycatcher", the former Security Service officer Peter Wrightclaimed that up to 30 members of the Service had plotted to underminethe former Prime Minister, Harold Wilson. This allegation wasexhaustively investigated and it was concluded, as stated publicly byMinisters, that no such plot had ever existed. Wright himself finallyadmitted in an interview with BBC1‘s "Panorama" programme in 1988 thathis account had been unreliable.

13. MI5 Head in the 1960s was a Russian spy
Itwas claimed that Sir Roger Hollis, who was Director General of theSecurity Service from 1956-1965, was a Russian spy. The Trend inquiryof 1974 cleared Hollis of that accusation. Subsequently, the evidenceof the former KGB officer Oleg Gordievsky confirmed this judgement.

14. MI5 only recruits a certain type of individual
The Service is anequal opportunitiesemployer and our staff increasingly come from a diverse range ofbackgrounds and cultures, reflecting the communities in the UK that weserve.
There is almost a 50:50 split of men to women in theService and 53% of staff are under the age of 40. Currently only 4.8%of our staff are from an ethnic minority, but we are committed toimproving this and progress is being made.
There is also an Equal Opportunities Forum in the Service and a Family Friendly Working Group.
Ourrecruitment website provides more information about the type of people that we are looking for.

15. MI5 does not recruit tall people
Contraryto media reporting, we do not just recruit people under 5"11. There isa height restriction in place for our mobile surveillance recruitmentcampaign, but no such restrictions exist for any of the othercampaigns. You can be tall and work for the Security Service!

16. MI5 staff are prohibited from saying anything about the Service
Ourmembers and former members are prohibited by Section 1 of the OfficialSecrets Act 1989 from disclosing, without lawful authority, informationrelating to security or intelligence which came into their possessionwhile in the Service.
It is clearly important that security andintelligence information is protected from unauthorised disclosure, toprevent damage being caused to our sources, operations and methods. ButSection 1 is sometimes criticised as prohibiting disclosures even aboutsuch unimportant matters as the colour of the Thames House carpets(which are blue!) and the menu in the staff restaurant. Thesecriticisms are misguided. Such matters do not fall within the scope ofSection 1.

17. MI5 is helping terrorists by making secret information publicly available on its website.
Greatcare has been taken in the selection of information published on ourwebsite. Clearly, we do not publish any material that could jeopardisenational security, which we work to protect. All of the information onthis website is unclassified and will not provide the terrorist withany information they do not already know.
For the mostpart, details of our operations must and should remain secret. Butstopping terrorists is only one part of our collective defences againstterrorism. Another crucial part of our work is to use the uniqueknowledge we have about the terrorist threat to provide practical andauthoritativesecurity adviceon how best to protect against it. In the past, our advice was confinedmainly to Government, but today‘s threat of international terrorismmakes it important for us to extend this advice to a wider range ofpeople, which we are able to do most effectively via the web.