MI5 STATEMENT OF UTILITY OF BULK CAPABILITIES
(supplied to the Review July 2016)
Bulk capabilities are critical to the work of MI5: over the last decade they have
enabled us to work securely at both the scale and pace that we need to protect
national security. As we adapt to the challenges posed by technological change, for
example the increasing proliferation of communications data and apps, many subject
to sophisticated encryption, bulk data – alongside our other capabilities – is
increasingly important to us. All of our investigators and data analysts across all of
MI5’s areas of operations use bulk capabilities to identify threats, understand them
and to inform action:
•
International Counter Terrorism: ISIL is pursuing a global terrorist campaign
threatening UK citizens at home and overseas. It has a proven intent and
capability to conduct large-scale attacks in Europe. Bulk data has played a
significant part in every major counter terrorism investigation of the last decade,
including in each of the seven UK attack plots disrupted since November 2014.
•
Northern Ireland Related Terrorism: Dissident Republican (DR) groupings
continue to conduct attacks designed to kill members of the security forces
including police and prison officers. In 2015 there were 16 DR attacks, and in
2016 Prison Officer Adrian Ismay died as a result of such an attack. Bulk
capabilities are essential to understanding the plans of resilient, experienced
terrorists and stopping their attacks.
•
Hostile Foreign Activity: The UK is a priority espionage target for hostile foreign
actors. The volume and complexity of cyber-attacks has risen sharply, posing
growing risks to our critical national infrastructure. The high level of
sophistication and communications security used means that bulk capabilities,
including through joint working with GCHQ, are critical to identifying and
mitigating threats.
Bulk capabilities are not about monitoring the activities of innocent members of the
public: they are a vital tool in keeping the UK safe. They have undoubtedly helped
save lives.
Identify
•
MI5 receives hundreds of new leads every week, often containing only
fragments of information about a threat. Leads come from a wide range of
sources, including from GCHQ and SIS, from agents, or from partner services.
It is essential that leads are rapidly progressed. We use Bulk Personal Data to
quickly develop fragmentary intelligence into a real world identity, and Bulk
Communications Data can be used to identify links to known targets and
activities of interest.
•
This means that we can quickly identify and open investigations to thwart
activities that pose a threat, for example a terrorist travelling from Syria to the
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