State Security Administration [SSA]

Emblem of the State Security Administration

The State Security Administration [SSA] is the intelligence service of the Yugoslav Federative Republic of Hrstrovokia. It is more commonly referred to by its native acronym UDB, which is Yugoslavian for Uprava Državne Bezbednosti [Directorate of State Security]. However, for simplicities sake, this article will continue to use SSA. The SSA is part of the Ministry of the Interior, currently overseen by Minister Matko Darkovic. The SSA is the heir to the intelligence agencies and services which operated during the existence of the Yugoslav Socialist Federal Republic of Hrstrovokia.

The SSA operates under the aegis of the Ministry of the Interior and exists alongside the Military Intelligence Agency and Military Security Agency of the Ministry of Defence to form the national security umbrella of the Yugoslav Federative Republic of Hrstrovokia.

The main functions and responsibilities of the SSA are to carry out internal security domestically and intelligence operations abroad. Internal security includes securing the nation’s borders, the protection of the country's political leadership, surveillance of the general population, censorship against harmful artistic, political and religious dissension, preventing incidents of domestic terrorism, dismantling organized crime and defending against attempts of foreign powers to conduct intelligence operations within Yugoslavia.

Intelligence operations abroad include intelligence collection activities overseas by the training and management of covert agents, the collection of political, scientific and technical intelligence by various means, the reporting and disseminating of intelligence, intelligence collection management and conducting counter-intelligence operations.

Headquarters of the State Security Administration, Belgrade

The ultimate goal of the state security apparatus is to ensure the continued stability and sovereignty of the Yugoslav Federative Republic of Hrstrovokia in its current form; to sustain the continued domination and centralisation of power by the Serbs over the other ethnic groups of Yugoslavia: Bosniaks, Croats, Montenegrins and Kosovar Albanians. This is achieved in two ways; by the creation, cultivation and promotion of the Hrstrovokian identity as a source of unity in a post-Communist Yugoslav society and the dilution and suppression of ethnic identities. This cultural subjugation is less oppressive and visible than the previous Communist-era [there are few political prisons, no show trials or police harassment of dissidents, physical torture and beatings are kept to a minimum] yet still repressive, it is heavily inspired by the East German Stasi technique of Zersetzung.

The signing of the Helsinki Accords in 1975 ended harsh measures to control, discredit or destroy antagonistic forces within the state. Zersetzung or decomposition was a psychological warfare technique used by the Ministry for State Security [Stasi] to repress political opponents in East Germany during the 1970s and 1980s and served to combat alleged and actual dissidents through covert means, using secret methods of abusive control and psychological manipulation to prevent anti-government activities. In Yugoslavia, the concept was referred to as Degradacija [degradation].

The goal of Zersetzung is the fragmentation, paralysis, disorganization, and isolation of the hostile and negative forces, in order to preventatively impede the hostile and negative activities, to largely restrict, or to totally avert them, and if applicable to prepare the ground for a political and ideological reestablishment.

Zersetzung is equally an immediate constitutive element of "operational procedures" and other preventive activities to impede hostile gatherings. The principal force employed to implement Zersetzung are the unofficial collaborators - ordinary members of the public who reported any and all information to the SSA. Zersetzung presupposes information and significant proof of hostile activities planned, prepared, and accomplished as well as anchor points corresponding to measures of Zersetzung.

Thus, Yugoslavia is a mass surveillance state; everyday ordinary people such as neighbours, co-workers and relations were all always under suspicion and encouraged to spy on each other. Those who were viewed as antagonistic and resistant would have their careers stymied and reputations tarnished. They would face marginalization in society and be marked as an outcast. The only thing that has changed since the end of the Socialist Federal Republic is a greater emphasis on digital and electronic surveillance as technology has evolved.

Photos taken secretly document targets of surveillance - political outcasts - these images were released during a general amnesty in 1995.

The SSA headquarters are located in Belgrade, whilst its main training academy is on the city outskirts. SSA operations are also run from Yugoslavian embassies, cultural exchange programs and other government services. Mirko Tanacković is the current SSA Director. The SSA directly employs somewhere in the region of 100,000 personnel although this is not confirmed. Information regarding its personal or budget has not been shared publicly.

Director of the SSA Mirko Tanacković

The SSA’s work is divided into 3 directorates which either carry out internal security missions within Yugoslavian or intelligence gathering activities abroad:

Border Troops patrol the border with Albania.

There are various "desks" which the focus on countries and geographic areas of the world, though information on who exactly the SSA are interested in is restricted. The SSA deploys its agents to foreign countries using several different methods to conceal the agents' work as intelligence agents. Certain agents are on sent on "deep cover" assignments, meaning they are directed to assume false identities, work seemingly normal jobs, and attempt to conceal all their connections to Yugoslavia.

Other SSA agents operation abroad do not conceal their connections to Hrstrovokia. Instead they are often employed as official representatives of Yugoslavia, including in positions as diplomats or trade officials. In these positions, SSA agents are typically entitled to diplomatic immunity from prosecution.

A third group of SSA agents stationed abroad pose as journalists. SSA agents operation under such non-official cover - sometimes referred to as "nocs" - typically are subject to less scrutiny by the host government, and, in many cases, are never identified as intelligence agents by the host government. As a result, a noc can be extremely valuable intelligence asset for SSA. However because nocs work for private businesses and not the Yugoslavian government, they are not entitled to diplomatic immunity from prosecution.

At the direction and under the control of SSA, the primary mission of each of these groups of SSA agents is to gather information for Yugoslavian about the foreign country and to recruit intelligence sources that could assist in influencing the policies of public and private institutions in the foreign country. The Director of the SSA is appointed by and reports directly to the President of the Yugoslav Federative Republic of Yugoslavia. The Director briefs the President on the ongoing intelligence environment and operations and delivers threat assessments to national security. SSA gathers intelligence globally on every country considered important or relevant by Yugoslavia.

3rd Directorate or Organization Of Standing Forces Section, which is responsible for defeating criminal organizations and terrorist operations against Yugoslavia - both within and without - using the counter-terrorist task force Bodež [Dagger Force] or the Presuda 31 [Judgement 31] assassination squadron. 3rd Directorate also operates the Yugoslavian Border Troops, which are deployed at observation posts along the frontier, oversee the nation's border crossings and guard its airports, ports, train stations and maritime zones of control. There are a total of 6 divisions of Border Troops under the Ministry of the Interior's control. Border Troops use H215 Utility Helicopters, BOV M86 4x4 Armoured Combat Vehicles, BOV M15 4x4 Armoured Combat Vehicles, M20 6x6 MRAPs and are armed with M84 7.65×17mm Machine Pistols and M70 7.62x39mm Assault Rifles. Vehicles are armed with M20 12.7mm RCWS and M134D 7.62mm Miniguns. Border Troops also use D-19 and MQ-1A Reconnaissance & Surveillance UAV Platforms to monitor the border closely. The Coast Guard and Riverine & Harbour Patrol Flotilla, nominally under the control of the Maritime Forces of the Yugoslavian Defence Forces, are also an extension of the Border Troops.

Border Troops also use the reverse engineered MQ-1A "Predator" drone, having captured examples which were downed in the 1999 bombing of Yugoslavia.

Bodež or Dagger Force, is the counter-terrorist task force operated by the SSA. The selection criteria to join Dagger Force is extremely demanding, and only one in every 500 applicants is successful. From this elite group, only one candidate in every 100 is accepted. Dagger Force has three roles: collecting intelligence on possible terrorist threats, pre-empting terrorist activity, and mounting direct operations against a terrorist threat. There are a total 5 battalions of Dagger Force under 3rd Directorate's authority.

Dagger Force is also tasked with developing specific tactics for likely terrorist targets - in other words, hostage rescue from aircraft, ships, buildings, oil rigs, nuclear power stations and even public entertainment venues. The task force operates a Special Counter-Terrorism Training Centre and School in Novi Sad, responsible for developing doctrine and running training courses for itself, SSA agents and Defence Forces personnel. There is a close working relationship between the Commandos - the Yugoslavian Special Forces - and Dagger Force. They have access to the same weaponry and equipment as the Commandos and often train together in exercises at the Belgrade Special Warfare Centre & School.

Dagger Force Operators armed with M4 Carbines.

Dagger Force is self-dependent, training its own operators in all fields, such as sniping, reconnaissance, dog handling, and bomb disposal. As a result, Dagger Force has a rapid deployment time and high coordination between various squads [e.g. sniping squad, entry team, engagement force]. All members are qualified in heliborne operations and HALO/HAHO parachute jumping plus MFF at the Airborne & Air Assault School in Niš, scuba operations at the Specialized Maritime Diving Centre in Herceg Novi, and receive extensive close quarter battle training, breaching methodology and post-raid sensitive site exploitation at the Vogoslavgrad Urban Combat Training Centre. They also receive training in CBRN [chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear] operations at the Belgrade Special Warfare Centre & School.

Dagger Force officially only operates within the territory of Yugoslavia. One unit of 30 operators is on rotational one-hour notice to move, while four other units are able to deploy to anywhere within Yugoslavia within a maximum of three hours, facilitated by their integral helicopter component. Each battalion follows typical practice by assigning specialties to each of the five platoons within its four companies – hostage rescue, mountaineering, vehicle-mounted, military free-fall parachuting and amphibious operations. Each company also maintains its own sniper cell. The platoons are further divided into four groups of four operators.

Dagger Force has access to a number of transport assets; Mi-171SH-HV Transport Helicopters, H145M Battlefield Support Helicopters, Lazanki 8x8 IFVs, NTV 4x4 Jeeps, TRB 4x4 Armoured Vehicles, BOV M11 4x4 Recce Vehicles, BPM-96 4x4 APCs & BK-16E Fast Attack Craft. Vehicles are armed with M20 12.7mm RCWS and M134D 7.62mm Miniguns, ships are equipped with M71/08 20mm Guns and M87 Naval 12.7mm Machineguns.

Outside of the Federative Republic, a unit of the SSA known as Presuda 31 is tasked with the elimination of commanders, controllers and financiers of Yugoslavia's enemies abroad. This squad compromises some 30 highly trained operatives - the elite of the elite within the Yugoslavian security services. The squad is generally made up of former Commandos, have extensive military training and experience, are fluent in at least one language and have the ability to blend into new environments. Years can pass before operatives receive a mission, however once activated, their reactions are immediate, precise and lethal. They are rugged, adept and relentless.

Presuda 31 operatives are able to travel into denied areas such as hostile countries using fake identities and conduct intelligence gathering, procure safehouses, rent vehicles or conduct any other support tasks needed to enable an operation for themselves, SSA agents and Commandos. In the field of counter-terrorism, Presuda 31 has the remit for operations outside Yugoslavia's borders and in conflict zones, while Dagger Force operates domestically; however, there is still some ambiguity as members of Dagger Force have deployed overseas on a number of occasions, although typically in a close personal protection role.

The unit is trained in special reconnaissance including conducting undercover advanced force operations. They also receive language and cultural training to allow them to work in countries which have vast societal differences to Yugoslavia.