Increasing need of nations to get information in advance about
each other's political, social, economic, military activities and
expectations have obliged them to establish some formations exclusively
charged with collecting information.
Enver Pasha
In our country, the efforts to establish an intelligence organization
that would function in a systematic and organized manner were started
during the last years of the Ottoman Empire. In that period, in
order to preserve the political unity, to prevent the separatist
activities, and particularly to follow the activities of the foreign
nations mostly focused on the Middle East, the need had emerged
to give a centralized and organized nature to the intelligence activities,
then being carried out on an individual and limited basis, and an
intelligence organization was established on November 17, 1913 by
Enver Pasha under the name of TESKILAT-I MAHSUSA (Special Organization).
That organization, which had undertaken important missions and had
carried out military and paramilitary activities during the First
World War, was dissolved at the end of the war, following the Moudhros
Truce of October 30, 1918.
In
the period that followed the Moudhros Truce, a new intelligence
unit was formed in late 1918 under the name of KARAKOL CEMIYETI
(Police Guild). This new organization carried out many important
missions during the National Liberation War through providing arms
to people and to small armed groups for fighting against the occupation
forces in Anatolia, and also through providing supplies and equipment
to the national forces. When Istanbul was occupied on March 16,
1920, the activities of this organization came to an end with the
arrest of its members.
After the dissolution of the KARAKOL CEMIYETI, various intelligence
groups were formed such as ZABITAN and YAVUZ. One of these
groups, namely the HAMZA GRUBU (Hamza Group), which was established
on September 23, 1920, changed its name to FELAH GRUBU (Felah
Group) on August 31, 1921, and intelligence groups continued
their activities until the end of the National Liberation
War.
ASKERI POLIS TESKILATI (Military Police Organization - shortly
called as A.P. or P.) was founded by the Turkish General Staff
on July 18, 1920 with the aim of putting an end to the chaos
prevailing among different intelligence organizations and
countering the enemy's espionage activities and propaganda
infiltrating the army ranks. This organization, which had
carried out successful missions during the war, was dissolved
on March 21, 1921. The vacuum that arose in the intelligence
activities with the dissolution of the Askeri Polis Teskilati
was filled in a short time with the establishment of TEDKIK
HEYETI AMIRLIKLERI (Inspection Board Directorates) again by
the Turkish General Staff in various Anatolian provinces during
the period of April 1, 1921 and June 22, 1922.
Marshal Fevzi Cakmak
Later, in the light of the previous experiences and with the aim of
reaching the newly established objectives, another intelligence group
named MUSELLAH MUDAFAA-I MILLIYE (Armed National Defense) was founded,
this time under the instructions of Fevzi CAKMAK, Chief of General
Staff. On May 3, 1921, the Turkish Grand National Assembly officially
approved the establishment of that organization, which was called
shortly as "M.M." (MIM MIM).
While the TEDKIK HEYETI AMIRLIKLERI were carrying out their activities
in Anatolia, the "M.M" organization managed to establish
in Istanbul an extensive network of spies and intelligence consisting
of a large cadre of military and civilian officers; organized the
activities to secretly transfer weapons and ammunitions to Anatolia;
and infiltrated the enemy headquarters, foreign missions, and groups
collaborating with the enemy to get important information and documents.
This organization, which also maintained cooperation during the
National Liberation War with various intelligence groups established
against the enemy activities, was dissolved on October 5, 1923 following
the liberation of Istanbul.
During the period, which followed the dissolution of intelligence
organizations and foundation of the Republic of Turkey, the intelligence
activities were carried out by the Intelligence Branches of Army
Inspectorships until the year 1926.
The Establishment Document
10152 of January 6, 1926 of Milli Emniyet Hizmeti (M.E.H.)
Riyaseti (Documents from the Private Archives of the MIT)
Later, in late 1925, ATATURK gave the order for
the establishment of a modern intelligence organization having the
same standards with those in the developed countries. Thus, with
the participation of the cadres that had been trained in European
countries, and under the official order (January 6, 1926) of Field
Marshal Fevzi CAKMAK, Chief of General Staff, the first intelligence
organization of the Republic of Turkey was established under the
name of MILLI EMNIYET HIZMETI RIYASETI (M.E.H./MAH) (Directorate
of the National Security Service). Structurally, the organization
was subordinated to the Ministry of Internal Affairs on January
5, 1927. The one-year period between January 6, 1926 and January
5, 1927 was regarded as the preparatory period for the establishment
of the Service by the then leaders, and the day later, January 6,
1927 was accepted as the foundation day of the MAH.
Sukru Ali Ogel
Sukru Ali OGEL was appointed as the Director of the MAH, which
still keeps its importance as a symbol in the eyes of the MIT members,
since it firmly connects the historical roots of the MIT to the
future.
The MAH, which had undergone during its history some small-scale
structural changes in consistence with the emerging needs, successfully
conducted Turkey's intelligence activities until the year 1965.
Symbols
used by the National Security Service during 1927-1931
With a view to have the intelligence, which is to be collected
on every subject relevant to the formulation of the State's national
security policy, gathered at one center, the Turkish Grand National
Assembly passed on July 22, 1965 Law no. 644, under which the name
of the organization was changed as the MILLI ISTIHBARAT TESKILATI
- MIT (National Intelligence Organization). The same law also provided
for the control of the organization by an Undersecretary who would
be responsible only to the Prime Minister in the fulfillment of
duties defined in the law.
The MIT had carried out its duties for about 19
years under the provisions of Law no. 644. However, the rapidly
changing conditions and new developments brought the need for new
legal arrangements. To that end, on November 1, 1983 Law no. 2937
on the "State Intelligence Services and the National Intelligence
Organization" was passed. This law was put into effect as of
January 1, 1984. The MIT, which has a modern structural organization
and closely follows every kind of technological developments that
would help the achievement of national objectives, with its experienced
professional and technical staff, is successfully fulfilling its
duties defined in the law in a manner firmly devoted to the principles
of pluralist democracy, supremacy of law, impartiality and human
rights.
*** The historical information presented above was compiled from
the book titled "History of the National Intelligence Organization"
which was prepared for the memory of the 75th anniversary of the
foundation of the National Intelligence Organization.
In
the period that followed the Moudhros Truce, a new intelligence
unit was formed in late 1918 under the name of KARAKOL CEMIYETI
(Police Guild). This new organization carried out many important
missions during the National Liberation War through providing arms
to people and to small armed groups for fighting against the occupation
forces in Anatolia, and also through providing supplies and equipment
to the national forces. When Istanbul was occupied on March 16,
1920, the activities of this organization came to an end with the
arrest of its members. 
