British counterintelligence MI5 has for the first time published the names, photos and biographies of all of its heads. The data is available at the MI5 web-site on the direction of its present chief Eliza Manningham-Buller.

Up to now the names of MI5 heads were not unknown outside the secrete service. The first head of the organisation, whose name became known to the public, was Stella Rimington. She occupied the post from 1992 to 1996. Nowadays MI5 is going through a major reform. Up to 1990s the counterintelligence mainly withstanded KGB and its Eastern European analogues. The present head is doing her best to turn MI5 into a leading British agency fighting terrorism, for which purpose it openly recruits employees.