What power does a MI5 or MI6 intelligence officer have?
MI6 or the Secret Intelligence Service serves Her Majesty’s government in matters of foreign security matters, foreign intelligence, and foreign operations of special nature. MI6 “Military Intelligence” Section 6, is similar to the CIA, but throw in the NSA. MI6 also conducts covert operations worldwide. Intelligence operations such as recruiting foreign operatives, surveillance, collection etc. There is a special ops unit like in the CIA, not like in James Bond. MI6 has no authority on the British mainland. MI6 must act in accordance with UK law, however under the Intelligence Services Act 1994, individual agents may be approved to carry out certain acts deemed illegal in the UK. The act allows for the State Secretary to grant immunity from prosecution to agents who have committed various acts either pre approved or post approved in the furtherance of national good. Each case is reviewed individually. MI6 is much more secretive than the CIA and British law exempts intelligence service
