ADF intelligence – Timor Leste
Introduction
There are few sources on intelligence aspects of the 2006 ADF deployment to East Timor. However, several detailed studies of the 1999 deployment are available and relevant. The most important have been written by Colonel John Blaxland, the author of the principal history of Australian signals intelligence, Swift and Sure: A History of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals, 1947 to 1972, (Signals Committee, Melbourne, 1999). The most important source on organisational issues is Blaxland’s short study of the organisation of the Army’s 3rd Brigade when it deployed in 1999 as the core of the Australian contribution to InterFET: “Operations in East Timor: Experiences of the Australian 3d Infantry Brigade Intelligence Officer“, Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin, October-December 2001. Wider issues are addressed in his The Australian-led Mission to East Timor, (2002).
Intelligence cell (S2) of 3rd Brigade, deployed as WESTFOR, InterFET, 1999
Information systems
The National Command Element intelligence officer will have access to Defence intelligence information systems. One of these is the Joint Intelligence Support System (JISS), run by the Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO), and accessed by a number of Defence and security agencies.
Government sources
The Australian-led Mission to East Timor, John Blaxland, Land Warfare Studies Centre, Working Paper No. 118, 2002.
Operations in East Timor: Experiences of the Australian 3d Infantry Brigade Intelligence Officer, John Blaxland, Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin, October-December 2001.
Analysis
Australian Army Intelligence Celebrates 100 Years of Service, Department of Defence Media release 485/07, 6 December 2007
“The Australian Intelligence Corps celebrated 100 years and officially recognised their soldiers and officers who saw active service in the Army during a plaque dedication ceremony in Canberra earlier today. The Corps has seen service in both World Wars, Korea, Malaya, Vietnam and more recently Somalia, Rwanda, Timor-Leste, the Solomon Islands, Iraq and Afghanistan….Senior serving officer of Australian Intelligence Corps, Major General Steve Meekin, AM, also attended the moving ceremony.
“The activities of the Australian Intelligence Corps are critical to the Army and will remain so in the future,” Lieutenant General Leahy said. “The battle space we operate in is complex and its threats numerous, lethal and often unbound by international laws and norms. I commend the Corps for its efforts in the past 100 years and charge it to continue to ensure the Army is forewarned and forearmed.”
See also
Updated: 14 June 2009