MI6

The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6 (<a href="/facts/MI_numbers/KLfrM2l2">Military Intelligence, Section 6</a>), is the foreign <a href="/facts/Intelligence_service/r3kDlaeD">intelligence service</a> of the <a href="/facts/United_Kingdom/kuPAILt2">United Kingdom</a>, tasked mainly with the covert overseas collection and analysis of <a href="/facts/Human_intelligence_(intelligence_gathering)/1QlDb5jn">human intelligence</a> on foreign nationals in support of its <a href="/facts/Five_Eyes/7lnSYxYh">Five Eyes</a> partners. SIS is one of the <a href="/facts/British_intelligence_agencies/Ck1JfrR2">British intelligence agencies</a> and the <a href="/facts/Chief_of_the_Secret_Intelligence_Service/xUrJGBsp">Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service</a> ("C") is directly accountable to the <a href="/facts/Foreign_Secretary_(United_Kingdom)/K4Sr7QwU">Foreign Secretary</a>.
Formed in 1909 as the foreign section of the Secret Service Bureau, the section grew greatly during the <a href="/facts/World_War_I/vITTUanQ">First World War</a>, officially adopting its current name around 1920. The name "MI6" originated as a convenient label during the <a href="/facts/World_War_II/2efV5L1U">Second World War</a>, when SIS was known by many names. It is still commonly used today. The existence of SIS was not officially acknowledged until 1994. That year the <a href="/facts/Intelligence_Services_Act_1994/TDrtGXVr">Intelligence Services Act 1994</a> (ISA) was introduced to Parliament, to place the organisation on a statutory footing for the first time. It provides the legal basis for its operations. Today, SIS is subject to public oversight by the <a href="/facts/Investigatory_Powers_Tribunal/c3Ru8HEQ">Investigatory Powers Tribunal</a> and the <a href="/facts/Intelligence_and_Security_Committee_of_Parliament/pok0SuT2">Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament</a>.
The stated priority roles of SIS are <a href="/facts/Counter-terrorism/XSzTcfND">counter-terrorism</a>, <a href="/facts/Counter-proliferation/9dHzwjus">counter-proliferation</a>, providing intelligence in support of <a href="/facts/Cyber_security/7E5dIy7G">cyber security</a>, and supporting stability overseas to disrupt terrorism and other criminal activities. Unlike its main sister agencies, <a href="/facts/MI5/mI3nc0YP">Security Service</a> (MI5) and <a href="/facts/Government_Communications_Headquarters/XCMkfqWE">Government Communications Headquarters</a> (GCHQ), SIS works exclusively in foreign intelligence gathering; the ISA allows it to carry out operations only against persons outside the <a href="/facts/British_Islands/4fBquvMU">British Islands</a>. Some of SIS's actions since the 2000s have attracted significant controversy, such as its alleged complicity in acts of <a href="/facts/Enhanced_interrogation_techniques/rEQsm981">torture</a> and <a href="/facts/Extraordinary_rendition/j9hxo2bu">extraordinary rendition</a>.
Since 1994, SIS headquarters have been in the <a href="/facts/SIS_Building/QPnW9QuM">SIS Building</a> in <a href="/facts/London/KozCCsy9">London</a>, on the <a href="/facts/South_Bank/LzflArxo">South Bank</a> of the <a href="/facts/River_Thames/XnQWN52L">River Thames</a>.

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MI6