The Italian Intelligence and Security Services

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[THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF CESIS]
   [The Secretary General in office]
[SISMI]
   [The Current Director of SISMI]
[SISDE]
   [The Current Director of SISDE]
   [Magazine]

The structure | SISMI

SISMi reports directly to the Minister of Defence, who:
* establishes regulations;
* oversees that its activities comply with the President of the Council of Ministers' guidelines;
* nominates, advised by the CIIS, the director of the Service and his closest aides;

Tasks:
* carries out all intelligence and security tasks for the military defence of the independence and of the integrity of the State from any danger, threat or aggression;
* performs counterespionage tasks;
* informs the Minister of Defence and CESIS on all the information received or in its possession, as well as the analyses and details of all operations carried out.


The coat of arms of SISMi
The Coat of Arms of the Intellegence and Military Security Service was granted by a decree of the President of the Republic on 28th of january 2004.

- Heraldic description
Party per fess undy or and azure, a torch crossing, placed in pale, gules, inflamed proper, accompanied in chief by a mullet of five points, azure. Under the shield, upon a riband flotant, the motto in lapidary Roman capital letters, or, ARCANA INTELLEGO. The shield is timbred with a turred crown or, masoned sable, of a circle, gules inside and two mural circlets on the rims, supporting twelve rectangular towers (seven visible), embattled of twelve à la guelph (four merlons visible, two angolar), shut and windowed of one, sable, a crennelled fastigium of thirty-six (eighteen visible), three merlons between towers.

- Remarks of the coat of arms
The dominant element of the coat of arms is the inflamed torch, symbolising the activity of the Service: enlighten - with passion - what looks abscure or seems undecipherable. This idea is stressed once again by the dichotomy of the enamels of the field showing the upper part brightened by light and flames.
Undy and azure refer to the Mediterranean basin, the historical and pivotal scenario of the operations of the Service, but not confined to it, in such an era of entangling globalisation. The five-pointed mullet, placed on top of the shield, recalls its tradition and military origin as well as its foremost interest to be protected from any danger threat or attack.
The motto ARCANA INTELLEGO evokes the nobie root of intelligence, a discipline aimed at unravelling mysteries and holds in itself a constant tension directed to its final goal: knowledge.
The special crown having seven visible towers has functions. The first is intended for identification, because no other crown of institutional bodies has such a large number of towers; the second refers back to the role played by the Service, whose surveillance tasks are emphasised by a great number of points of observation.