His Royal Highness' Directorate of Intelligence
| Seine Dukliche Hochzeits Nachriktsdirektorat | |
| Intelligence agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Greater Nuxenstat, Radictistan |
| Employees | 12,306 |
| Annual budget | R$18.5 billion (FY15) |
| Intelligence agency executives |
|
| Parent Intelligence agency | None (independent) |
| Website | http://www.sdhn.gov.rd |
His Royal Highness' Directorate of Intelligence (Radictistani: Seine Dukliche Hochzeits Nachriktsdirektorat) is the principle foreign intelligence-gathering agency of the Radictistani government. The organization's primary remit is the collection and analysis of clandestine human intelligence to inform Radictistani policymakers. The directorate also directs some signals intelligence activity directed against foreign countries. The directorate is forbidden by law to collect information on Radictistani persons or entities or any person or entity located on Radictistani soil. Domestic intelligence gathering is left to the Royal Security Police with which the SDHN has often had an adversarial relationship.
Organization
Executive
SDHN is headed by a Director and Deputy Director appointed by the Grand Duke and subject to confirmation by the House of Delegates. The Director is Sir Oskar Frund and the Deputy Director is Hermann Kahn.
Operations Branch
Operations Branch (Radictistani: Einsatzabteilung), often referred to as OpBranch (Radictistani: EinAb) is the primary department responsible for human intelligence gathering. It is believed to be the largest subdivision of the agency. EinAb is believed to operate the "Old Maid of Brightburg" numbers station.
Technical Systems Branch
The Technical Systems Branch (Radictistani: Teknischesystemsabteilung), often referred to as TechBranch (Radictistani: TekAb), is responsible for the development and utilization of equipment and techniques for collection of foreign intelligence through technical means such as through COMINT, ELINT, and clandestine MASINT. TechBranch is known to operate an advanced listening post at Jensbau in Hyarpsur.
Personnel Branch
Personnel Branch adjudicates security clearances and enforces security regulations, also acting as SDHN's human resources department.
Budget
The total SDHN budget is made public, however details about how and where the funds are spent remains classified. The 2015 fiscal year saw reported spending of approximately eighteen and a half billion Radin.
Oversight
The Standing Committee on Intelligence is a nine-member standing committee of the House of Delegates responsible for providing parliamentary oversight of SDHN and its operations. Its members have absolute clearance over all aspects of SDHN operations and can legally force SDHN to turn over any document and provide any information demanded. Failure to turn over any information requested by the committee or to provide false information are punishable as Civil Treason under Radictistani law.
Controversies
Domestic spying
The SDHN is prohibited by law from conducting any kind of surveillance within Radictistan. Faced with a higher degree of oversight than most intelligence agencies it has little ability or inclination to break that rule. From time to time reports have leaked out which suggest illegal surveillance. The most dramatic incident occurred in May 2013 when a person suspected of being an SDHN employee was detained by the Royal Security Police within the Nuxenstat embassy district while in possession of electronic surveillance equipment. The individual was severely beaten before being mysteriously released from custody.