| Publication |
2010.
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| Summary/Abstract |
The collection of intelligence, whether by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) or the British security forces, became a means and, indeed, an extension of the struggle by which each side sought to assert its dominance and control over the direction and tempo of the Northern Ireland conflict. The implications of this intelligence war were far-reaching, impinging on almost every aspect of the conflict. In addition to its more obvious impact, such as its capacity to determine the outcome of individual operations, intelligence could also influence the conflict in more subtle ways. For instance, the security force's ability to acquire quality intelligence minimized the need to conduct house searches, a practice which proved immensely unpopular among the Nationalist community. From the earliest stages of the Troubles, both sides were engaged in a do or die struggle to control the flow of intelligence. For each, intelligence was crucial to assuring certainty and control for itself, while depriving both from the enemy. For both sides this became the function of counterintelligence.
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