National Intelligence and Security Service

The organization is the main agency tasked with law enforcement regarding aviation, border security and checkpoints in airports and land designated areas. They are the main intelligence agency in the country including the federal police bar none.^[1][2] They mainly gather their broad network of information from their HUMINT or human intelligence infrastructure. Whilst the Information Network Security Agency or INSA gathers signals intelligence domestically and overseas. The NISS also gathers FININT or financial intelligence as required by law.^[3]

They can also purchase distribute and make and also license permits to weapons and explosives traveling in and abroad the country as per law.^[3] They are also tasked with counterterrorism inside and outside the country and protect the current constitution from being attacked.^[4] They have the ability to enforce both the Immigration and Nationalities acts in the place of the Foreign ministry when deemed necessary. The Security, Immigration and Refugee Affairs Authority was replead to give NISS full authority of immigration, refugees and security regarding international commerce and foreign dealings. They have the ability to enforce court warrants granted by a court.^[5]

The National Intelligence and Security Service in 2019 showed legal authority and imposed a travel ban on 3,000 individuals from moving out into other countries. This was disclosed after MP's had visited the headquarters of the institution.^[6]

Ethiopian NISS and Somalia Intelligence forces worked together to counter act Al-Shabaab and ISIS terrorist through various MOU's signed.^[7]

Cooperation with foreign law enforcement and spy agencies has extended to countries like the U.S, Russia, and Israel. In August 2019, the NISS and the U.S Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly combat terrorism.^[8] In November 2020, the NISS and Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, had agreed to fight in counter-terrorism operations jointly.^[9] And on 9 June 2021, the Russian government and NISS had agreed to strengthen cooperation in joint counterterrorism.^[10] The South Korean National Intelligence Service also has a join combat program between the NISS.^[11]

Ethiopia's intelligence agency and its traces back in 1935 where during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie I, fascist Italy led by dictator Benito Mussolini invaded the country. This forced the first formation of an older version of the NISS. It was then led by military Lieutenant Workneh Gebeyehu. The agency wasn't created to help Ethiopia in war efforts against Axis forces during the 1936-1941 war between the two nations. Neither Insisting the Ethiopian Imperial armed forces and their respective British allies in cooperation of the war effort by the Emperor, since the agency was immediately created after the liberation of Ethiopia after the invasion in 1941. After the war ended and years had passed, the Emperor's government led by Prime Minister Makonnen Endelkachew in 1955 was incorporated into the National Security overseed in a 'special cabinet' under provision of Solomon Kedir head of the special cabinet. In 1960 it was clear that the intelligence agency wasn't able to disseminate a coup led by General Mengistu Neway and Dejazemach Germame Neway. Nonetheless the armed forces of Ethiopia were able to stop the attempted coup d'etat. The intelligence agency was broken up in 4 other divisions of the Ethiopian intelligence community during the time of Haile Selassie I. The other divisions of the community of intelligence spied on each other also including civilians.^[12][13]

During the Derg regime, starting in 1974 after the successful toppling of Emperor Haile Selassie I in a coup d'etat. A fundamental change of the agency was made. The agency was named 'Committee for peoples Security and Peace' this was provided in the Derg's proclamation 10/1966. During the early 80s the Derg establishes the agency(s) as 'Ministry of Security Protection for the Country and the People' for the purpose of intelligence gathering. And in the late 80s the Derg finally establish it as 'Ministry of Internal Affair' and given its nature it has no capabilities of law enforcement domestically in the nation. Due to economic and war turmoil between modern day Eritrea, and Somalia, the agency had to work not only on citizens or civilians but help in the front against hostile foreign agents in cooperation with the defence forces.^[12]

In 1991 during the fall of the Derg military Junta, military insurgents from northern Ethiopia led by the TPLF form a new constitution in which the formation and the creation of an intelligence agency is in face. Nonetheless the former workforce of the previous intelligence officers created by the Derg was disbarred and made 'dysfunctional' to which a brand-new organization related to Intelligence was formed. During the mid 90s the TPLF led government appoints Kuma Demeksa to lead the department overseeing the intelligence under Ministry of Internal Affair. Kinfe Gebremedhin was the director of the agency itself. Later on, in the 90s on wared to the early 2000s the government of Ethiopia under the TPLF renames the organization as 'Authority for Security, Immigration and Refugees Affair' to which giving a broader power and even a law enforcement aspect to the organization. Giving authority to oversee immigration from borders, airport terminals and such, and refugees under parliament proclamation 6/1987. And during the early 2000s the intelligence agency switches directors with Getachew Assefa replacing Kinfe Gebremedhin. Getachew Assefa leads the agency for 17 years from the early 2001 to 2018.^{[12][14][15][16]}

The NISS over its three decades of its modern existence has made politically motivated arrests, and torture, to journalists who oppose the government's points of views, and individuals. The NISS in its rebranding allowed for parliamentary oversight in its conductions of duties and day to day works. News media agencies were allowed also to report on the parliamentary oversight NISS even if most media were government owned and state affiliated one private media was allowed also the Reporter. In an effort to rebrand the institution, NISS will have a new name— the National Intelligence Center (NIC) — as well as a new logo, Demelash (former director of NISS) said. Going in to the merits of the restructuring, Demelash talked about a draft law, currently under scrutiny in the Council of Ministers, which is expected to refer it to the House People's Representatives where it will be ratified. According to Demelash, the new law will clearly demarcate the powers and functions of the intelligence service, and ensure that the activities are subject to institutional oversight and appropriate safeguards.

The bill also incorporates an article that will prevent all officers of agency from having any affiliation with political parties so that the intelligence service operation is fully independent and has professional integrity. The officers and the intelligence service, in general, will not have any engagement with activities supporting, promoting or influencing political objectives of any kind, advanced by any lawful political party, organization or group. The bill also plans to suspend the intelligence service from conducting any security vetting or monitoring works over legal political parties or institutions connected to the freedom of expression.^[17] But Ethiopia's democratic index is one of the lowest in the world, and the agency has had criticism regarding its silence on political corruption of government officials.^[18]

Former officials of the NISS had been charged with gross human rights abuses, dereliction of duty through ill act on finically supported deadly weapons as explosives being used for non-duty related activity. Getachew Assefa the former head of the organization has been found guilty and is a convicted felon in absentia for corruption including mass murder and sentenced to 18 years in prison.^[19] Other high members as Yared Zerihun, the chief of the anti-terrorism taskforce division of the NISS, and Emanuel Kiros, a former senior official at the agency have been arrested and found guilty and sentenced to 3 to 5 years in prison for human rights abuses deducted from corruption and dereliction of duty in the Federal High Court, Lideta division, the second highest court of Ethiopia.^{[20][21][22][23][24]}

In 2021 the NISS was able to gather intel that a terrorist plot was setting place in the capital, Addis Ababa targeted against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Embassy by Iranian nationals. 16 Iranian nationals were arrested by the NISS for a suspected terror attack against the UAE Embassy and staff.^[25] The NISS also had said that such attacks were also being planned in Sudan. Ethiopian government had said this was for a retaliation against the death for Iranian General Qassem Soleimani to which the country had nothing to do with. It is unknown what happened with the arrested suspects and their then 35-year-old leader Ahmed Ismail.^[26][27]

The NISS is also tasked with graduating and training Republican Guards in the University of National Intelligence and Security. "The Republican Guard students must graduate The National Intelligence and Security University College, which is administered by the NISS. This university, which is operated by the National Intelligence and Security Service, is meant to train them in their disciplinary duties, after they finish and complete their physical trainings in Ethiopia." The Role of protecting the President and Prime Minister and their respective families transferred from the NISS to the Ethiopian Republican Guard a branch of the Ethiopian Armed forces.^[28][29]

Although the Republican Guard protects High ranking visiting dignitaries, heads of state and government, the NISS with INSA (signals intelligence agency) would provide intelligence towards the Republican Guard for risk assessment.^[30][31] They also train aviation authorities, to control checkpoints in ports of commerce, and airports, and border points for foreign goods and peoples and citizens coming in and out the country.^[32]