Byzantine Intelligence Community (Byzatium)

The Byzantine Imperial Intelligence Coordinating Council, or Intelligence Council for short, is the body in charge of coordinating the group of separate intelligence agencies within the government of the Byzantine Empire and subordinate organizations that work both separately and collectively to conduct intelligence activities which support the foreign policy and national security interests of the Byzantine Empire. Member organizations of the intelligence community include intelligence agencies, military intelligence, and civilian intelligence and analysis offices within federal executive departments.

The Intelligence Council is overseen by the Executive Vice-President of the Imperial Intelligence Coordinating Council, who reports directly to the Prime Minister of the Empire and to the Emperor.

History

Since its inception, the Roman/Byzantine polity used espionage and secret operations in order to bolster its foreign policy and security goals and in order to thwart enemy plots and threats. Over the centuries, the covert operations and espionage bodies evolved through a variety of shapes and configurations, also reflecting an evolving institutional configuration.

Since the late ninteenth century, the institutional framework of the intelligence activity was increasingly fixed and codified.

The Imperial Intelligence Coordinating Council was established by a Decree on 4 March 1992 and later codified in 1994 as part of the State apparatus reforms of John XI.

The establishing decree tasked the Intelligence Coordinating Council with five missions:

• Collection of information needed for the performance of government duties and responsibilities;
• Production and dissemination of intelligence;
• Collection of information concerning, and the conduct of activities to protect against any hostile activity directed against the Byzantine Empire by foreign powers, organizations, persons and their agents;
• Special activities ìin support of the Byzantine foreign policy objectives abroad which are planned and executed so that the "role of the Empire is not apparent or acknowledged publicly", and functions in support of such activities;
• Such other intelligence activities as the Emperor may direct from time to time.

Mission

The Imperial Intelligence Coordinating Council is responsible for overseeing, coordinating, and streamlining the activities of all intelligence agencies within the empire to ensure a unified and effective approach to intelligence and security.

The Imperial Intelligence Coordinating Council facilitates the exchange of intelligence and information among different agencies, ensuring that relevant data is distributed to the right entities. It develops and implements joint strategies to address common threats, ensuring that intelligence efforts are aligned. The Imperial Intelligence Coordinating Council provides guidance and policy recommendations to the monarch and the central government based on intelligence assessments.

The Imperial Intelligence Coordinating Council has the right of being consulted by the Roman Senate in the allocation of resources, both financial and human, to different intelligence agencies based on their priorities and requirements. In times of crisis, the Intelligence Council plays a central role in crisis management and response coordination under the guidance of the political authority.

The Imperial Intelligence Coordinating Council oversees security clearance procedures, ensuring that individuals have the appropriate clearances for handling classified information. The Imperial Intelligence Council reports directly to the monarch, keeping the highest authority informed on security and intelligence matters.

Organization

The head of the Imperial Intelligence Coordinating Council is the Executive Vice-President of the Imperial Intelligence Coordinating Council. The Executive Vice-President exerts leadership of the Imperial Intelligence Coordinating Council primarily through statutory authorities under which he or she:

• develops and executes the National Intelligence Program budget;
• establishes objectives, priorities, and guidance for the intelligence community;
• manages and directs the tasking of, collection, analysis, production, and dissemination of intelligence by elements of the intelligence community.

Despite these responsibilities, the Executive Vice-President has no authority to direct and control any element of the intelligence community except his own staff — the Presidency of the Imperial Intelligence Coordinating Council — nor does the Executive Vice-President have the authority to hire or fire personnel in the intelligence community except those on his or her own staff. The member elements in the executive branch are directed and controlled by their respective department heads.

Member organizations

The council comprises high-ranking officials and intelligence chiefs from various agencies, including the Imperial Intelligence Directorate (IID), the central civil police force, the military gendarmerie, and any other relevant agencies.

Seal	Organization	Native name	Parent organization	Ministry	Date est.
	Imperial Intelligence Directorate (DBP)	Διεύθυνση Βασιλικών Πληροφοριών Diéfthynsi Vasilikón Pliroforión		Office of the Prime Minister	1934
	Religious Surveillance Bureau (GTE)	Γραφείο Θρησκευτικής Επιτήρησης Grafeío Thriskeftikís Epitírisis		Religious Affairs	1929
	Imperial Gendarmerie Intelligence Division (DPBC)	Διεύθυνση Πληροφοριών Βασιλικής Χωροφυλακής Diéfthynsi Pliroforión Vasilikís Chorofylakís	Imperial Gendarmerie	Interior Defence	1974
	Military Intelligence Service (SYP)	Στρατιωτική Υπηρεσία Πληροφοριών Stratiotikí Ypiresía Pliroforión	General staff	Defence	1889
	Diplomatic Service Intelligence Section (TPDY)	Τμήμα Πληροφοριών Διπλωματικών Υπηρεσιών Tmíma Pliroforión Diplomatikón Ypiresión		Foreign Affairs	1948
	Cryptographers and Scholars Guild (SKM)	Συντεχνία Κρυπτογράφων και Μελετών Syntechnía Kryptográfon kai Meletón
	Unified Imperial Civil Police Intelligence Division (ETPAPA)	Ενιαίο Τμήμα Πληροφοριών Αυτοκρατορικής Πολιτικής Αστυνομίας Eniaío Tmíma Pliroforión Aftokratorikís Politikís Astynomías	Central Civil Police Force	Interior	1986

See also

• Byzantine Armed Forces (Byzatium)
• Law enforcement in the Byzantine Empire (Byzatium)