Fact Check: The MI6 agency was founded in 1909.

June 16, 2025•by TruthOrFake AI

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VERDICT

True

# Fact Check: "The MI6 agency was founded in 1909." ## What We Know The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6, was indeed founded ...

Fact Check: "The MI6 agency was founded in 1909."

What We Know

The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6, was indeed founded in 1909. It originated from the Secret Service Bureau, which was established in October of that year as a response to growing concerns about German espionage activities in the UK and overseas. The Bureau was divided into two sections: one for domestic intelligence (now known as MI5) and the other for foreign intelligence, which became MI6 (Wikipedia, SIS). The first director of MI6 was Captain Sir Mansfield Cumming, who played a crucial role in shaping the agency's early operations (SIS, BBC News).

Analysis

The claim that MI6 was founded in 1909 is supported by multiple credible sources. The official website of the SIS states that the agency was established in October 1909, emphasizing its role in protecting the UK from overseas threats (SIS). Additionally, the historical account provided by Keith Jeffery in "MI6: The History of the Secret Intelligence Service, 1909-1949" corroborates this timeline, detailing the agency's evolution from the Secret Service Bureau ([source-4]).

The reliability of these sources is high. The SIS's official website is a primary source for information about its history and operations, while academic publications like Jeffery's work provide a well-researched historical context. Wikipedia, while user-edited, cites these authoritative sources, making it a reliable reference for this specific claim (Wikipedia).

Contradictory claims are not present in the reviewed sources, which consistently affirm the founding date of MI6 as 1909. The historical context surrounding its formation, particularly the geopolitical tensions of the time, further supports the accuracy of this claim.

Conclusion

Verdict: True
The claim that MI6 was founded in 1909 is accurate and well-supported by credible historical sources. The establishment of the agency was a direct response to the need for organized intelligence operations in the face of foreign threats, particularly from Germany during that period.

Sources

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Fact Check: The MI6 agency was founded in 1909.

Fact Check: "The MI6 agency was founded in 1909."

What We Know

Analysis

Conclusion

Sources

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