September 11th profoundly changed the Portuguese intelligence system and placed the SIS facing new demands for cooperation, prevention and openness to society. In this episode, we talk about the reform of the system and the litmus test of Euro 2004, a decisive moment for the affirmation of the intelligence services of Portuguese democracy. Listen here to the podcast that tells the story of the Information Service in Portugal
September 11 is, to date, the most important case study on the role of information in preventing threats. It served as an example and reference for everything that would be done from then on. With the twin towers, prejudices, distrust and even reservations about the existence of secret services fell, and, conversely, interest and investment in their activity soared.
Adélio Neiva da Cruz classifies those attacks as “a seismic shock for all information services in the world”after which “political decision-makers began to look at this activity in a different way”. Proof, says Heitor Romana, that “it was necessary to change the paradigm, and start to prioritize human sources”, or, as Jorge Silva Carvalho says, the radical change that brought to international cooperation, putting “traditionally adversarial or hostile services to collaborate to combat a common enemy called Al-Qaida”.
Portugal was no exception, not only increasing budgets and human resources, but, above all, overcoming the impasse in which plans to reform the system itself found themselves. Although without yet including the merger of SIS with SIED, as was widely advocated, in 2004, a more influential version of the SIRP General Secretary was born, responsible for new common departments, but also as a direct interlocutor of the Prime Minister.
A very intense period in the life of SIS, during which it had three directors: José Telles Pereira, Margarida Blasco and Antero Luís.
But this 4th episode has more to tell. It recalls the atmosphere of tension and risk that Islamic-inspired terrorism has created, especially in Europe, and details the attack that the SIS guarantees to have prevented on national soil. The target was the opening ceremony of Euro 2004 held in the city of Porto.
Helena Rego, at the time heading SIS counterterrorism, was at the forefront of this joint operation with the Judiciary Police, and describes “the searches of Porto’s tricky pensions, which were carried out on the eve of the opening game”and during which “we detained a Moroccan who was the main suspect of preparing that attack”.
Listen to the 4th episode of SIS: 40 Years of Secrets at the top of this page.
“SIS: 40 years of secrets” tells the story of the Security Intelligence Service. It marks the opening of doors in February 1986, but begins to be counted from April 1974 – when the extinction of the DGS paved the way for the creation of the first civil and democratic information service.
Through the voice of those who designed, installed and directed it, it is explained in an unprecedented way how the training and supervision aspects work and how they evolved.
A journalistic investigation by Celso Paiva Sol, told in six episodes, with sound treatment from the studios and cover by Tiago Pereira Santos.
