Security Information Service

Counter-intelligence service of the Czech Republic

What we do

Under Act No. 153/1994 Coll., on the Intelligence Services of the Czech Republic, the Security Information Service acquires, collects and evaluates information concerning:

Terrorism

While still in the second half of the twentieth century the threat of terrorism was „spread“ over a variety of types, the attack against the World Trade Center in New York on 11th September, 2001 demonstrated and confirmed the fact that its most dangerous form was Islamic fundamentalism. Militant Muslim radicals absolutely reject the political principles and value systems of the Euro-Atlantic civilization, which they seek to replace with Islam as the only correct basis of the human society. In the name of this ideology they take a confrontational approach to the western world, and do not hesitate to use the foulest means in their efforts to subvert it. The fight against their terror is not targeted at Islamic faith and its adherents: it is an uneven conflict between a world of freedom, tolerance and human rights and a realm of fanaticism, intolerance and aggressive hatred.

Protection of economic interests of the state

Satisfaction of the strategic economic interests of the state pre-determines and strongly influences the level of advancement, prosperity and living standard of each country – hence the need to protect all legitimate processes, procedures and ways of achieving this aim. The basis of their effective protection is preventive collection of information which is indicative of a potential threat to important economic plans of the state and provides early warning against phenomena and activities whch might destabilize various segments of the national economy – industry, particularly the power sector, transport, telecommunications and other.

Counter-intelligence

The role of counter-intelligence is to defend the state against the efforts of other states to acquire information protected by law. Its purpose is not to deliver spies into the hands of interrogators, but to expose them, monitor their activities, guide them and use them while they are not aware of the fact that they are under control. The ideal outcome is persuading an exposed officer of a foreign intelligence service to change sides. Arresting a spy and bringing him/her to court thus need not always be most desirable result of counter-intelligence work.

Extremism

In the security context, the term extremism is used to designate extremely aggravated attitudes and ideologies hostile to democracy, in reference to the behaviour of their holders and related actions and phenomena. Extremism is encountered on both the right and the left ends of the political spectrum,, from where it can spread – under suitable circumstances – into the entire society, culminating in violent actions aimed at destabilization and subsequent removal of the democratic social order.

Proliferation of mass destruction weapons

Illicit spreading of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction, referred to briefly as proliferation, ranks among serious global threats to our civilization. Of extraordinary gravity is the danger that these weapons might be acquired and used by terrorist groups. Equally perilous is the possibility that they could fall into the hands of expansive and dictatorial regimes, which would employ them to carry out their ambitious plans. International agreements seek to prevent their transfers, but entirely barring access to and manipulation with components, manufacturing technologies a carriers of mass destruction weapons is practically impossible. The number of states which use or develop them has been constantly growing.

Trade in conventional weapons and explosives

There exists a threat that conventional weapons and sophisticated state-of-the-art military technologies will be used in terrorist operations, organized crime and various local conflicts in neuralgic regions of the world. The greatest complication is the extraordinary profitability of illegal trade, in which even the diplomatic and intelligence structures of countries seeking to acquire weapons are involved.

Organized crime

Organized crime can by characterized as a system of superiority and exclusivity, the sole goal of which is to conquer, rule and manipulate. The only ideology it respects is the rule of money and the power which it generates. In order to attain its objectives, it makes use of the open society, undermines economic structures by its activities and strives to infiltrate the public administration system. Particularly dangerous are its attempts to penetrate into the police and the judiciary.

Illegal migration

From the security point of view, illegal migration is fertile soil for the activities of organized crime, international terrorism and foreign intelligence services. Channels used to smuggle refugees across state borders offer a welcome means of transferring people linked to the environments of organized crime, terrorism and espionage. Illegal migration is also very effectively utilized for trade with narcotics and people.

Security of information and telecommunication systems

In the process of rapid development of information and communication technologies, our civilization has reached a point where its functioning is becoming based on completely new principles, and concepts such as cyberspace and virtual world assume a real form. But with growing electronic comfort human life becomes much more vulnerable and exposed to new threats of its destruction. Data networks become targets of criminal attacks, expressions such as information war, cyber- terrorisms and cyber-espionage no longer belong only to science fiction, and many other similar activities in this area may have essential impacts on the security, economic stability and democratic stability of countries and their ability to defend themselves.

Protection of classified information

Every state protects information important for its security and functioning by classifying it in different categories depending on its security implications. The task for the Service is to protect people and entities who work with classified information (under Act. No. 412/2005 Coll., on the Protection of Classified Information), and to evaluate and highlight key points where there is a danger of disclosure. If BIS identifies warning indications of an attempt at a breach of information security, it takes action to eliminate them. It also investigates the background of activities endangering the security of classified information, the seriousness of the security threat involved, the scope of potential consequences etc.