Difference between revisions of "MI5 K Branch"

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''K Branch'' was the division of [[MI5]] responsible for counter-espionage in the service's organisation from around 1968. Prior to this time, this had been [[MI5 D Branch|D Branch]].
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''K Branch'' was the division of [[MI5]] responsible for counter-espionage in the service's organisation from 1968. Prior to this time, this had been [[MI5 D Branch|D Branch]].
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<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.860.</ref> It was reincorporated into a new D Branch in the service's organisation of 1994.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.864.</ref>
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<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.860.</ref> The re-organisation was carried out by [[Michael Hanley]] as head of counter-espionage. [[Peter Wright]] claims that he persuaded Hanley and [[Martin Furnival Jones]] to include a formal mechanism for investigating penetration of the service.<ref>Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.</ref>
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K branch was reincorporated into a new D Branch in the service's organisation of 1994.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.864.</ref>
  
 
==Organisation==
 
==Organisation==
 +
Under the 1968 re-organisation, K Branch consisted of two separate units, KX and KY, each with their own director on the MI5 board.<ref>Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.</ref> KX and KY were amalgamated in 1976.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.861.</ref>
 
===Directors===
 
===Directors===
 
*[[John Deverell]] - C.1983<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.715.</ref>  
 
*[[John Deverell]] - C.1983<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.715.</ref>  
 
*[[Stella Rimington]] - C.1986.<ref>Mark Hollingsworth and Nick Fielding, Defending the Realm: Inside MI5 and the War on Terrorism, Andé Deutsch, 2003, p.134.</ref>
 
*[[Stella Rimington]] - C.1986.<ref>Mark Hollingsworth and Nick Fielding, Defending the Realm: Inside MI5 and the War on Terrorism, Andé Deutsch, 2003, p.134.</ref>
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===Sections===
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===KX===
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====KX====
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Responsible for investigative work, according to Peter Wright, and controlled sections, K1, K2, K3 and K7.<ref>Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.</ref>
 
*[[John Allen]], Director KX, C.1972.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.629.</ref>
 
*[[John Allen]], Director KX, C.1972.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.629.</ref>
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====K1====
 +
K1 and K2 were Soviet and satellite investigating sections, according to [[Peter Wright]].<ref>Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.</ref>
 +
====K2====
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*K2 [[Charles Elwell]], C.1973.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.576.</ref>
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====K3====
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Soviet agent-running section according to [[Christopher Andrew]].<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.708.</ref> Peter Wright describes it as a research section, cut out of the old D3.<ref>Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.</ref>
 +
====K7====
 +
Section responsible for investigating Soviet penetration.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.571.</ref>
 +
*K7 [[Duncum Wagh]] - C.1968<ref>Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.</ref>
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*K7 [[John Day]] - C.1970<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.516.</ref>
 
====KY====
 
====KY====
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Soviet investigations branch. controlled K5.<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.185.</ref>  
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Soviet investigations branch, according to David Leigh.<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.185.</ref> Responsible for order of battle and operations, according to [[Peter Wright]], comprising K4, K5 and K6.<ref>Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.</ref>
 
*[[Alex MacDonald]], head of KY to 1970.<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.185.</ref>
 
*[[Alex MacDonald]], head of KY to 1970.<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.185.</ref>
 
*[[Christopher Herbert]], Head of KY from 1970.<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.185.</ref>
 
*[[Christopher Herbert]], Head of KY from 1970.<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.185.</ref>
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====K2====
 
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*K2 [[Charles Elwell]], C.1973.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.576.</ref>
 
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====K3====
 
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Soviet agent-running section.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.708.</ref>
 
 
====K4====
 
====K4====
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Section responsible for investigations and analysis of Soviet residencies in London.
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Section responsible for investigations and analysis of Soviet residencies in London.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.714.</ref> Peter Wright describes the work as 'order of battle.'<ref>Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.</ref>
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<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.714.</ref>
 
 
*[[Michael Bettaney]], attempted to become [[KGB]] agent, 1983.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.714.</ref>
 
*[[Michael Bettaney]], attempted to become [[KGB]] agent, 1983.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.714.</ref>
 
*K4A/1 Officer involved in Bettany case, 1983<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.719.</ref>
 
*K4A/1 Officer involved in Bettany case, 1983<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.719.</ref>
 
*K4C/1 Officer involved in Bettany case, 1983<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.717.</ref>
 
*K4C/1 Officer involved in Bettany case, 1983<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.717.</ref>
 
====K5====
 
====K5====
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Joint MI5/[[MI6]] counter-intelligence section.<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.241.</ref>
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Joint MI5/[[MI6]] counter-intelligence section.<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.241.</ref> Agent-running and operations, according to Wright.<ref>Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.</ref>
 
*K5 [[Harry Wharton]], MI5 section head, c. 1975.<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.</ref>
 
*K5 [[Harry Wharton]], MI5 section head, c. 1975.<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.</ref>
 
*[[James Spiers]], [[MI6]] section head, c. 1975.<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.</ref>
 
*[[James Spiers]], [[MI6]] section head, c. 1975.<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.</ref>
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*[[Jeremy Wetherell]], c. 1975.<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.</ref>
 
*[[Jeremy Wetherell]], c. 1975.<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.</ref>
 
====K6====
 
====K6====
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Registry which held agents personal 'Y' files.<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.</ref>
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Registry which held agents personal 'Y' files.<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.</ref> According to Wright, it was responsible for "all security assessments and compiling the specialist records, ministerial briefings, special indexes, and record collection which previously had been under my control in D3."<ref>Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.</ref>
 
*[[Ray Whitby]]<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.</ref>
 
*[[Ray Whitby]]<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.</ref>
 
*[[Robert Holden]]<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.</ref>
 
*[[Robert Holden]]<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.</ref>
 
*K6/7 Officer involved in Bettany case, 1983.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.716.</ref>
 
*K6/7 Officer involved in Bettany case, 1983.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.716.</ref>
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====K7====
 
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Section responsible for investigating Soviet penetration.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.571.</ref>
 
−
*K7 [[John Day]] - C.1970<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.516.</ref>
 
 
====K8====
 
====K8====
 
Section responsibilities included monitoring Chinese intelligence operations.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.788.</ref>
 
Section responsibilities included monitoring Chinese intelligence operations.<ref>Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.788.</ref>

Revision as of 20:09, 7 November 2009

K Branch was the division of MI5 responsible for counter-espionage in the service's organisation from 1968. Prior to this time, this had been D Branch. [1] The re-organisation was carried out by Michael Hanley as head of counter-espionage. Peter Wright claims that he persuaded Hanley and Martin Furnival Jones to include a formal mechanism for investigating penetration of the service.[2] K branch was reincorporated into a new D Branch in the service's organisation of 1994.[3]

Organisation

Under the 1968 re-organisation, K Branch consisted of two separate units, KX and KY, each with their own director on the MI5 board.[4] KX and KY were amalgamated in 1976.[5]

Directors

KX

Responsible for investigative work, according to Peter Wright, and controlled sections, K1, K2, K3 and K7.[8]

K1

K1 and K2 were Soviet and satellite investigating sections, according to Peter Wright.[10]

K2

K3

Soviet agent-running section according to Christopher Andrew.[12] Peter Wright describes it as a research section, cut out of the old D3.[13]

K7

Section responsible for investigating Soviet penetration.[14]

KY

Soviet investigations branch, according to David Leigh.[17] Responsible for order of battle and operations, according to Peter Wright, comprising K4, K5 and K6.[18]

K4

Section responsible for investigations and analysis of Soviet residencies in London.[21] Peter Wright describes the work as 'order of battle.'[22]

  • Michael Bettaney, attempted to become KGB agent, 1983.[23]
  • K4A/1 Officer involved in Bettany case, 1983[24]
  • K4C/1 Officer involved in Bettany case, 1983[25]

K5

Joint MI5/MI6 counter-intelligence section.[26] Agent-running and operations, according to Wright.[27]

K6

Registry which held agents personal 'Y' files.[32] According to Wright, it was responsible for "all security assessments and compiling the specialist records, ministerial briefings, special indexes, and record collection which previously had been under my control in D3."[33]

K8

Section responsibilities included monitoring Chinese intelligence operations.[37]

K10

  • K10B - Counter-proliferation unit set up in 1991.[38]

Other K Branch officers

Notes

  1. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.860.
  2. ↑ Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.
  3. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.864.
  4. ↑ Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.
  5. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.861.
  6. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.715.
  7. ↑ Mark Hollingsworth and Nick Fielding, Defending the Realm: Inside MI5 and the War on Terrorism, Andé Deutsch, 2003, p.134.
  8. ↑ Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.
  9. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.629.
  10. ↑ Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.
  11. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.576.
  12. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.708.
  13. ↑ Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.
  14. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.571.
  15. ↑ Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.
  16. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.516.
  17. ↑ David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.185.
  18. ↑ Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.
  19. ↑ David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.185.
  20. ↑ David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.185.
  21. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.714.
  22. ↑ Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.
  23. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.714.
  24. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.719.
  25. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.717.
  26. ↑ David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.241.
  27. ↑ Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.
  28. ↑ David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.
  29. ↑ David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.
  30. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.627.
  31. ↑ David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.
  32. ↑ David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.
  33. ↑ Peter Wright, Spycatcher, Viking, 1987, p.334.
  34. ↑ David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.
  35. ↑ David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.242.
  36. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.716.
  37. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.788.
  38. ↑ Christopher Andrew, Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5, Allen Lane, 2009, p.788.
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