activity report 2007.pdf

hreats to national security and to the collaboration with criminal investigation bodies, including by sending them the information and documents requested during the criminal investigation. 82 such requests were solved, as follows:  In 16 cases unprocessed data and information were put at the disposal of the bodies of Public Ministry that were the basis of notifications. Information RIS (typescripts, informative and documentary materials, etc.);  In 11 cases data and information on the persons involved in criminal activities were sent to the bodies of prosecution, at their requests;  20 requests, addressed to the prosecutors and other judicial bodies, aiming at declassification and transmission of materials resulted from the enforcement of the authorized activities by the warrant stipulated by art. 20 and 21 of the Law no. 535/ 2004 and by the authorizations given by the judge, based on the stipulations of art. 911 – 916 of the Code of criminal procedure and other classified documents;  In 26 cases there were solved requests of data, information and documents on former and incumbent personnel of the Romanian Intelligence Service, involved in criminal files. The representatives of the specialized directorate took part, within joint operative teams made with the prosecutor’s offices, in common cases with the prosecutors, in order to indentify the best ways of making use of the specific activity of SRI, namely to establish the data and information that could be provided by our institution. 10 II. 3. Protection against risks and terrorists threats Romania is facing no explicit terrorist threat and the risk level is moderate. This situation is the result of the many factors, such as our country not being of direct interest for terrorist organizations and the preventive actions carried out by the National System for the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism, whose technical coordination is ensured by the Romanian Intelligence Service. The main sources of risk were associated with:  developments in international terrorism and the presence on the national territory of foreign citizens coming from places with terrorist issues or even identified as members or sympathizers of terrorist organizations;  propaganda and proselytizing activities undertaken by individuals / Islamist extremist groups with a potential impact on the radicalization and recruitment. Under the circumstances - and on the background of increasing concern at international level - Romanian Intelligence Service focused on identifying, at an early stage, and preventing actions that could generate terrorist risks and threats on our territory. The main coordinates of the activities were:  deterring terrorist related activities. Thus, the implementation of preventive measures consists in: - interrupting the right to residence and including some people on the list of undesirable for Romania / refusal of entry into the country (in 19 cases) ; - determining/ warning people to give up activities that could result into threats to national security (in 232 cases);  ensuring protection of diplomatic missions in Romania, whose security is the responsibility of Service. During specific activities for protection, the anti-terrorist control was performed on 14,765 people and 9,371 baggage and parcels. There were 1043 potentially dangerous objects identified being detained and 10 people were handed over to the police. In order to improve the security of the assets under our responsibility or to ensure the physical integrity of the protected diplomatic staff, on certain sites there were enforced additional safety measures;  ensuring antiterrorist protection During this period, the specialized structures of the services performed: - 1,113 patrols by potential terrorist targets; - 789 assignments (independently or in cooperation with other forces); - 1.106 anti-terrorism missions of guarding and protection of Romanian officials and foreign representatives; 11  - 1,530 permanent missions and other measures to prevent / discourage terrorist acts on "Henri Coanda" International Airport, respectively on "Aurel Vlaicu" Airport;  anti-terrorist/ anti-hijacking control and protection on civil airports. The development of the national airports infrastructure made the Romanian Intelligence Service adjust accordingly in terms of anti-terrorist and anti-hijacking protective/ intervention and control. This process involved the establishment of rigorous guidelines for the specialized structures of the Service, along with upgrading the anti-terrorist protection/intervention plans of the airports in the area of responsibility (by adding the most appropriate measures to each level of terrorist alert). 4,834,452 people and 12,393,699 pieces of luggage, hand-baggage or cargo were subjected to specific controls and there were identified 4,141 weapons of various kinds, of which 94 owned illegally, as well as important quantities of ammunition and other hazardous objects;  pyrotechnical terrorism inspection/ intervention. There were executed: - 512 anti-terrorist technical control missions for prevention purposes; - 888 actions to ensure the permanence of pyrotechnics; - 17 special inspections of bomb threat and pyrotechnic interventions that neutralize suspected targets/ devices with improvised explosive. Compared to the previous year, it is worth mentioning an increase in the number of bomb threats and false alarms (738 compared to 599 in 2006). II.4. Classified information protection As the designated authority in the field of security and protection of classified national, NATO and the EU information, SRI fulfilled the responsibilities regarding:  approving programs of leakage prevention of classified information drafted by central authorities, companies and national companies and other legal persons, public or private. S.R.I. solved 480 applications for security clearances, and 248 renewal requests, supplementing and amending prevention programs previously approved;  providing security clearance for individual access to classified national and NATO / EU information (security checks being conducted on 5,071 people).  issuing of authorization/ certificate of industrial security (a total of 60 such requests were processed).  specialized assistance upon request of individuals and legal entities (in about 400 cases);  controling the implementation of the protection measures of classified information. 12 460 control actions were performed (107 general, 343 specific, 10 caused by emergency situations).  Taking part in updating the regulatory framework. In 2007, the SRI representatives:  reviewed two draft decisions of the Government for the approval of the lists containing state secrets drawn by the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Housing and respectively, the Financial Guard ;  participated in the negotiation of governmental mutual agreements on the protection of classified information (with Germany, Czech Republic, France)  made proposals regarding the signing of memorandums approving bilateral security agreements on mutual security protection of classified information between Romania and Latvia, Portugal and Spain. S.R.I. strengthened the cooperation with other security authorities, and there were solved over 2,300 claims (twice as more than in 2006) for granting access to classified information, authorizations / security certificates for industrial security and other issues regarding classified contractual relations. Most applications were from the Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform (1,300), the Foreign Intelligence Service (900), the Ministry of Defence, the Special Telecommunications Service, the Security and Protection Service, and the National Registry Office for Classified Information). S.R.I. received 214 responses from the Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reform, Ministry of Defence, the Foreign Intelligence Service, Special Telecommunications Service and the Security and Protection Service. S.R.I. fulfilled adequately its responsibilities regarding classified correspondence collection, transport, distribution and protection in Romania, in spite of the increasing number of beneficiaries and volume of correspondence. Thus, with the same personnel, the number of missions reached 8,800 (compared to 8,100 in 2006), out of which 4,000 were emergencies. Also, there was an increase by 5% comparing to the previous year of the number of beneficiaries in Bucharest and Ilfov county, the mailing volume amounting to 2,565,444 (envelopes, parcels, etc). 13 CHAPTER III NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION III.1. Inter-institutional cooperation The cooperation became a key factor in a world of complex interdependencies that requires preventive action and quick reactions to security threats. In exercising its responsibilities as designated national authority, the Romanian Intelligence Service ensured efficient cooperation mechanisms. A special importance was paid to the collaborative platform offered by the National Prevention and Combating Terrorism System, respectively regarding classified data protection. 2007 marked a change of perspective in the cooperation between institutions of the national security system by creating communication and direct collaboration tools between structures with similar responsibilities and thus increasing the quality of joint activities. The service initiated a process of profound reorientation of its vision to cooperative activities, overcoming the reactive phase (timely response to requests) and switching to an active perspective which implies that security is not a sum of individual efforts, but the result of joint efforts of the institutions with responsibilities in the field. Under such conditions, the activity of cooperation had a positive development; one of the most important steps forward was recorded in the outcome of the exchange of information, including as result of increasing quality regarding the documents. The new approach and increased availability for cooperation helped overcoming reluctance which had generated limitations in the areas of cooperation and some inconsistencies in the flow of information, thus allowing risk sharing and security threats joint management. Although these are not the only areas where significant developments occurred, a special mention should be made in cooperation with The Foreign Intelligence Service, where there was a change of substance, including from the point view of our responsibilities in providing a greater contribution to the security of the EU space and a stronger support regarding the interests of Romania’s foreign policy. Overall, during 2007, inter-institutional cooperation activities materialized in:  exchange of information on various topics of interest and supporting the inter- institutional information flow. The topics exchanged included: illegal collection of information of interest to national security, actions related to high level corruption and economic and financial crimes, forging identity, travel documents and means of payment, suspicions of transfers abroad of significant amounts of foreign currency and items belonging to the national heritage; proselytism practiced by certain organizations, or other activities that have impact upon national security; tax evasion; smuggling of counterfeit goods; fraudulent bankruptcy operations, illegal purchase and possession of guns, ammunition, explosive devices, etc.; 14 During this period the exchange of information included a number of 7,298 reports: SRI sent to the institutions it cooperated with a number of 5,679 and received 1,619. There were also sent: - 1,019 informative summaries, assessments and analyses, and 398 were received; - to institutions that it cooperates with a number of 528 OSINT information products, made by specialized exploitation of open sources.  Organising joint activities/ missions. The Service achieved 19 joint missions solved through complex operational measures; 66 actions/ cases carried out based on action plans; 4 projects/ operations; 877 control actions/ pyrotechnic interventions aimed at preventing terrorist attacks;  Mutual support for specific tasks or providing technical-operational support. S.R.I. conducted 133 surveillance activities at the request of other national institutions (92 for central units and 41 for territorial units) and provided technical and operational assistance for co-signatory institutions within 27,553 specific activities;  performing checks in order to grant clearances under Law 21/1991, Law 333/2003 and 182/2002 (in 10,176 cases);  sharing expertise and providing consultancy in order to adapt professional standards and improve specialised training. III.2. International cooperation Given Romania’s new status as a member of the European Union, as well as S.R.I.’s obligations in relation to the North-Atlantic Alliance, foreign relations of the Service mainly aimed at strengthening cooperation with the services in the EU and NATO states, as well as with the security bodies of the two organisations. In parallel, progress was made in collaborating with services that are traditionally consistent partners for our institution, as well as with partner services in countries aspiring to become NATO and/or EU members, in fields of interest for national and international security. Cooperation activities that S.R.I. initiated or continued in this period ensured an increase in the knowledge and ability to prevent and counteract - through common efforts - risks and threats associated with:  international terrorism;  espionage and actions of hostile services;  energy security issues;  wide range economic-financial criminality and organized crime;  clandestine migration and illegal human trafficking;  proliferation of trafficking of substances, devices and technologies that are subject to international control with respect to the end user;  tense relations in conflict zones or surrounding areas. 15 Moreover, programs for training the Service’s personnel were developed. S.R.I. staff participated in various educational programs organized by foreign partner services or international bodies in the field of security, granting S.R.I. officers direct access to the experience of their counterparts, which gave us a more comprehensive view on the security issues. Multilateral cooperation Cooperation with NATO and EU bodies specialised in security were on the increase, expressed in providing consistent analytical contributions or, if necessary, in participating in/ supporting various kinds of initiatives, projects or actions of European or Euro-Atlantic structures. Thus, the number of activities in NATO format or activities supporting Romania and the Service’s representation in meetings organized by the Alliance grew considerably; it is worth mentioning the second part of the year that meant intensified efforts to organise the Bucharest Summit. Cooperation with NATO structures mainly supposed:  ensuring Service’s/ Romania’s contribution to assessment of security issues, made by NATO security structures;  active participation in activities organised by allied bodies/ NATO;  constant support of other categories of NATO bodies’ activity, as well as strengthening the Service’s/ Romania’s position within them;  fulfilling the complex responsibilities of the Service in relation with allied services and specialized bodies from the NATO Headquarters, in order to ensure the Bucharest NATO Summit security. In a context marked by a constant increase of the volume and complexity of S.R.I. tasks in relation with the security bodies of the European Union or other European structures with interests similar to our institution’s, the contribution of the Service consisted in:  coordinating the activities residing form S.R.I.’s statute as Romania’s representative within the Terrorism Working Group (TWG) of the EU Council;  participation of our institution’s leadership or experts in reunions on various topics, organised by the EU or other member states of the Union;  sending contributions or coordinating national responses to requests made by community structures or EU member states. At the same time, 2007 also meant S.R.I.’s assuming new responsibilities in multilateral cooperation activities, through active participation in exchange of data, experience and joint projects initiated in various formats (Central European Conference, South East European Initiative Cooperation, BRDO Process). Bilateral cooperation The Romanian Intelligence Service developed cooperation relations with 100 services from 60 states. Bilateral exchange