(Text and photograph from Facebook account: British & Commonwealth Forces Past, Present and Future – I have no connection with this account.)
Operation Banner (Northern Ireland) 1969- 2007
Force Research Unit operators pose for photograph.
“The Force Research Unit (FRU) was a covert military intelligence unit of the British Army’s Intelligence Corps. It was established in 1980 during the Troubles (Operation Banner) to obtain intelligence from terrorist organisations in Northern Ireland by recruiting and running agents and informants.
From 1987 to 1991 the FRU was commanded by Major {name deleted} of the Intelligence Corps and was renamed the Joint Support Group in the early 2000’s.
FRU worked alongside existing intelligence agencies including the Special Branch of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and MI5 (Security Service) and in 1988 the All Source Intelligence Cell was formed to improve the sharing of intelligence between the FRU, Special Branch and MI5.
The author claims FRU was granted special privileges in the course of their work, such as the power to overrule senior officers in ordering an area to be cleared of regular security force patrols or by requesting immediate helicopter cover.
The FRU also had the power to designate specific properties as “off limits” to RUC searches in order to protect agents or the intelligence documents the agents were in control of.”
CAVEAT – the above is from an unknown Facebook and Youtube contributor.
Alan Malcher 