Belarian Intelligence Office
Contents
Overview
The Belarian Intelligence Office (BIO) is an intelligence agency of the Federal Republic of Belarum. The BIO is tasked with collecting and analysing information collected from foreign governments, corporations, various organizations, individuals, and even rival intelligence agencies within the European Union, as well as the world. The Belarian Intelligence Office is also responsible for disseminating information vital to the safety and security of the FRB directly to the Belarian President, as well as to various policy makers in the Ministry of Defence and members of the Senate. Over the years, the BIO has also carried out many “covert operations”, some of which have come under tremendous controversy.
The Belarian Intelligence Office headquarters are located in Bastia on the Sepal River. The functions of the BIO are to protect the Federal Republic of Belarum and its interests abroad through the collection, verification, and dissemination of intelligence. It's functions are similar to the First Directorate of the KGB of the Soviet Union.
History
Founding as the SSB
The Belarian Intelligence Office was originally founded as the State Security Bureau (SSB) on August 7, 1927 by President Khaskovo after the dissolution of the Anatusian Liberation Force (ALF). Khaskovo had ultimately decided that the nation should take measures to safeguard itself from such vicious separatist groups, although virtually all violence died down after the dissolution of the ALF. President Khaskovo had opposition from the Army of the Federal Republic, but the Army was unable to root out the ALF in the first place, causing their arguements to fall on deaf ears.
The Baltan War
Over the years and during the Baltan War, the structure, functions, and name of the SSB would change. The SSB would evolve into the Belarian Intelligence Office, and soon was authorized to take covert and overt action against the hostile Baltan Empire. The BIO would no longer operate under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Defence; it now answered directly to the President of the Federal Republic, then to the Defence Minister. The agency would engage in secret assassinations, kidnappings, and arms sales to rebel groups in the Baltan Empire in order to bring it down from the inside, as the Army of the Federal Republic would continue its push to the enemy capital. The tactics used by the BIO were very effective, and have been credited with winning the war for the Belarians.
Cold War Tensions
Since the end of the Baltan War in the European Union, the Federal Republic of Belarum has taken an active role in scaling back Communist tensions emanating from the Soviet Union. Often, this has required the collection of vast amounts of intelligence from the Soviets in various forms, from objects as common as state produced newspapers to some of the most highly classified documents. The nation's own KGB and GRU, two competing intelligence agencies within the Soviet bureaucracy, have butted heads with the BIO since the Post War Years. Because of the massive amounts of funding received by the Belarian Military, the Belarian Intelligence Office has comparable manpower and funds with both of the Soviet agencies' direct counterparts, making it monolithic in administration, but nimble in intelligence collecting and covert operations.
Terrorism: Domestic and Foreign
Since the domestic terror attacks on Oristano in 1989 and the more devastating attacks in early 2007, the BIO has become more geared toward waging covert operations against terror groups operating in the European Union. Since the start of the 21st Century, domestic terrorism has been scaled back tremendously, and is no longer an issue. However, the new threat of the Fundamentalist-National Coalition headed by the mysterious Cain, efforts have been redirected to Alikhistan. As of March 2007, the Federal Republic is engaging both the Islamic-Nationalist Coalition and the Brotherhood, both of whom are suspected to have ties to regional terrorism.
Structure
The structure of the Belarian Intelligence Office is as such; the Director of Belarian Intelligence (DBI) is the figurehead of the BIO, with four Deputy Directors underneath the DBI which control the four BIO Directorates. The four directorates are listed below.
Directorate of Analysis
This directorate analyzes all data and intelligence collected in the field, and distributes all information with any possible threat to national security and prosperity directly to the President of the Federal Republic (who disseminates the information to the Defense Ministry) and the Senate Committee on Intelligence, which maintains oversight.
Directorate of Operations
This directorate organizes all spy networks, operations, and other activities in the field. Agents working for the Operations Directorate collect intelligence in foreign nations, unless authorized by the President of the Federal Republic to engage in domestic operations, which occurs very rarely. The Directorate of Operations is also in charge of the recruitment of potential agents, which are usually university students.
Directorate of Communications, Science, and Technology
The CST Directorate is responsible for developing and applying new technologies and inventions in support of the Directorates of Analysis and Operations. Some of its inventions have been harnessed in the private and public sectors as valuable creature comforts and components of everyday life.
Directorate of Administration
The Administration Directorate is one of the most intricate Directorates, simply because of its numerous functions. It is tasked with advising the Director and Deputy Directors of the Belarian Intelligence Office on all media, public policy, and employee communications issues relating to their roles as Office administrators and is the BIO’s principal communications focal point for the media, the general public and employees of the Office. It is also the principal source of legal counsel to the director and his four immediate subordinates, and advises on all legal matters. This directorate also maintains the BIO's historical materials and promotes the study of intelligence as a legitimate and serious discipline.
