Vexttor
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| Joined: 21 Jan 2012 |
| Total Posts: 358 |
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| 24 Jul 2014 04:25 PM |
Bureau of Secret Intelligence
1916 Badge of the Bureau of Secret Intelligence, today's DS
The U.S. Diplomatic Security Service of the Department of State was formally established in 1916 under Secretary of State Robert Lansing. The office was headed by a Chief Special Agent, who also carried the title of Special Assistant to the Secretary and reported directly to the Secretary on special matters.
A handful of agents worked out of two locations, Washington, D.C. and New York City, operating on confidential funds from the Secretary's office. They conducted sensitive investigations, especially on the operations of foreign agents and their activities in the United States. The U.S. Diplomatic Security Service was known as the Bureau of Secret Intelligence at its inception (1916).The Department of State's Bureau of Secret Intelligence was also known as U-1, an off-the-books adjunct to the Division of Information.[6][7][5][8] Before the United States entered World War I, German and Austrian spies were conducting operations in New York City. The spies were using forged or stolen identity papers. President Woodrow Wilson authorized the Secretary of State to establish a security arm of the Department of State. Three agents were recruited from the United States Secret Service because of their experience with counterfeit documents. Since the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) had the best laboratory, the director of the new agency was recruited there.
The assumption is that the name "Office of the Chief Special Agent," which was sometimes used in 1916, and to this day by various information portals to include the Department of State's website, to downplay the bureau's original mission.
In 1918, the United States Congress passed legislation requiring passports for Americans traveling abroad and visas for aliens wishing to enter the United States. Shortly thereafter, the Chief Special Agent's office began investigating passport and visa fraud. Special agents also protected distinguished visitors to the United States. |
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