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Organizations of Alias

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The following is a list of organizations in the TV series, Alias .

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104-489: The Alliance of Twelve is a fictional international organized crime group in the television series Alias . It is involved in the trade of intelligence and weapons as well as in blackmail . SD-6 is one of its subsidiary cells . The organization was founded by Alain Christophe, once a CIA counterintelligence officer, as well as other former agents of various other intelligence agencies and wealthy individuals investing in

208-647: A 19-month transnational investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), involved 9 Federal agencies and 67 State and local law enforcement agencies from 8 States. In 2003, it led to the arrests of some 240 individuals charged with transnational drug trafficking. Law enforcement agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are employed by nation-states to counteract international organized crime. Serious international crime—such as crimes against humanity—may be investigated by

312-449: A TOC entity's objective is to seek profits, and adopting the other's criminal activities is only a means to an end. Recent scholarship suggests that the intersection between both types of organizations is due to overlapping criminal networks creating hybrid forms of violent actors. Some scholars believe that this overlap proves convergence exists between both groups (e.g., terrorist groups will shift their agendas to profit-seeking resembling

416-476: A TOC network may operate these activities at a local/regional level while a larger organization arrange international logistics with the help of middlemen who facilities coordination between both groups. The most common types of crime include the following: TOC is commonly linked to terrorist organizations , serving as patrons and as a reliable alternative to state sponsorship . Frequent transactions with terrorist groups engaging in asymmetric attacks include

520-456: A collective strategy with other nations facing the same threats." In July 2011, the White House released its Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime , which reflects this change and sets forth a strategy " to build, balance, and integrate the tools of American power to combat transnational organized crime and related threats to national security—and to urge our foreign partners to do

624-404: A committee. The project was shut down and they were sent back to their everyday lives. Meanwhile, Renée Rienne 's father, Luc Goursaud, was involved in another part of the project, as a test subject for clinical trials administered by Doctor Aldo Desantis. He was paid an impressive amount of money. It is unknown what he was tested for, but it is known that thirty years later, Desantis emerged from

728-554: A country’s jurisdiction. FinCEN cooperates globally with other FIUs and uses its regulatory authorities to limit further illicit activities by Transnational organized criminal groups within the financial system. Through FinCEN, the Department of the Treasury promotes international efforts to adopt international standards involving anti-money laundering and the combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT). Between 1994 through 1998, FinCEN led

832-527: A criminal organization). In contrast, other scholars downplay convergence frequency among both groups due to differences in goals and motivations. Hence, TOC entities may engage in acts of terrorism against governments and rival organizations depending on their political environment, motive, structure, and criminal enterprise. Traditional enterprises (e.g., Yakuza and Russian Mafia ) are only likely to get involved in political conflict to secure markets and increase profits since they desire minimal attention from

936-495: A cryogenic chamber looking identical to Renée's father. It is likely that Prophet Five experimented on Renée's father to develop experimental genetic doubling techniques, possibly based on Lehman and Michaux's findings from the manuscript. Renée's father somehow discovered something about the experiments that disturbed him, and he fled with his daughter across Europe, only to be taken away by Desantis. Renée witnessed this and swore revenge. A few weeks after Lehman and Michaux shut down

1040-498: A defendant, such as when the informant can provide evidence that may exculpate the defendant. The following are some of the methods used by authorities in the US to combat transnational organised crime: In May 2010, the White House released its National Security Strategy , detailing the need to aggressive combat transnational organized crime. This strategy document states, "Combating transnational criminal and trafficking networks requires

1144-670: A level playing field for U.S. businesses abroad. Under the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI) , the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) functions as the financial intelligence unit (FIU) for the United States providing investigative support for government agencies to combat illicit financial activities both domestically and internationally. FIUs are central agencies that assist law enforcement by collecting and analyzing financial information within

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1248-531: A motivator for criminal pursuits in countries transition to a free market . During the globalization process, developing countries pursue stricter rule of law policies and prosecution of criminal activities, attempting to ensure a suitable and stable environment for economic development and foreign investment . This includes the protection of property rights against criminal actions, professionalization of police , and increasing law enforcement capacities to confront organized crime, all of which are common in

1352-404: A multidimensional strategy that safeguards citizens, breaks the financial strength of criminal and terrorist networks, disrupts illicit trafficking networks, defeats transnational criminal organizations, fights government corruption, strengthens the rule of law, bolsters judicial systems, and improves transparency. While these are major challenges, the United States will be able to devise and execute

1456-490: A national central bureau that communicates and cooperates with other member nations. Its mission is "Preventing and fighting crime through enhanced cooperation and innovation on police and security matters". Although the organization Interpol exists to coordinate intelligence efforts between national law enforcement agencies, it is not an international police force , and indeed no such international law enforcement body with universal jurisdiction exists. Double agent In

1560-474: A product of capitalism and an "illicit counterparts of multinational corporations” by pursuing geographical positions from which to operate shipments, secure markets, and collaborate with trusted criminal entities. Other scholars associate TOC operations as a security risk affecting public safety , human rights , economic stability , government accountability , and exacerbating internal conflicts . Article III, title: "Scope of application", section II of

1664-522: A relationship of mutual trust with members representing criminal organizations. This results in higher recruitment rates, improved vetting of new recruits, and the formation of new TOC ventures. One example is the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) , evolving a prison gang in São Paulo, São Paulo Brazil , to a prevalent criminal organization operating on multiple continents. Transnational organized crime

1768-468: A relocation of operations to different regions, countries, and even continents. TOCs can operate in various jurisdictions without a physical presence (e.g., internet scams ). Scholars have conflicting views regarding the extent to which globalization has impacted international inequality in general. However, many claim globalization has impacted inequality on measures that affect organized crime and increases in criminal activity. The World Bank published

1872-402: A report suggesting that although developing countries have experienced economic growth , inequality within those countries (between individuals) has increased due to globalization. Studies suggest that high levels of inequality in a given location are correlated with the relative power of organized crime and the high levels of corruption from which they benefit. Phil Williams, Professor at

1976-660: A safety deposit box in Vancouver . Irina betrayed Prophet Five and disappeared with the Horizon. Prophet Five's endgame also revolved around 15th century prophet Milo Rambaldi , specifically his interest in Sydney, whom Rambaldi refers to as his "Chosen One." Ultimately, Prophet Five's endgame remains a mystery, as the Twelve were slaughtered by Kelly Peyton on Sloane's orders. Since Irina and Sloane were apparently after immortality, it may be assumed

2080-450: A security measure, Sydney was able to pose as an escort for the computer technicians on board during one of its landings and copy all the information from the server. When Jack attempted to go back to SD-6 headquarters to get confirmation that the information was genuine (as the CIA would only have one chance), he was apprehended by the acting head Geiger (Sloane had taken off and was declared MIA by

2184-467: A unit that officially doesn't exist, all members from previous seasons officially resign from the CIA under varying circumstances to work for APO. Although headed by Sloane, APO ultimately answered to CIA Director Hayden Chase, and at the end of Season 4 , Sloane was removed from his post and replaced by Jack Bristow , who remained in charge of APO into Season 5 . Sloane ultimately returned to APO as assistant director, although unknown to his colleagues he

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2288-406: Is an agent who gets caught as a double agent and is forced to mislead the foreign intelligence service. F.M. Begoum describes the re-doubled agent as "one whose duplicity in doubling for another service has been detected by his original sponsor and who has been persuaded to reverse his affections again". A triple agent is a spy who pretends to be a double agent for one side while they are truthfully

2392-514: Is found to be in remission, he is again told that in order to become a "full partner" in The Alliance, he would have to kill his wife. He then faked his wife's death by drugging her wine and putting her in suspended animation. Having proven his loyalty to the members of The Alliance, he is welcomed as a full partner and injected in the neck with a tracking device and mini-microphone to have his movements and conversations recorded 24/7. Although Sloane

2496-583: Is identified by the first name "Ramon," but his last name and his SD cell number are unrevealed. SD-6 branch was headquartered in the Credit Dauphine building in Los Angeles, with entry through a special elevator to the sixth sub-level of the building. Every person who entered would be biometrically scanned and visually confirmed. As a security measure, all three areas of the foundations of the building itself were rigged with C-4 explosives that would go off if

2600-618: Is one master server, server 47 (in keeping with the Rambaldi sub-plot of the show, where 47 is a key number in Rambaldi's works), which could potentially have all the information the CIA would need to shut down all of the SD cells simultaneously, thus acting as a sort of ' silver bullet ' to the cell-like nature of the Alliance. Although the server was located on a Boeing 747 plane that was constantly airborne as

2704-400: Is then revealed that Sloane had planned the destruction of the Alliance, having a technician bypass the surveillance devices in his neck, and he and Sark had supplied Sydney with the information the CIA needed to remove The Alliance – after he had cleared out (apparently) all Rambaldi artifacts to his own location outside of SD-6. However, one artifact escaped Sloane's attention. This artifact,

2808-710: Is unknown whether these are the original Twelve, the current Twelve or some combination of past and current members.) Transnational organized crime Transnational organized crime ( TOC ) is organized crime coordinated across national borders , involving groups or markets of individuals working in more than one country to plan and execute illegal business ventures. In order to achieve their goals, these criminal groups use systematic violence and corruption. Common transnational organized crimes include conveying drugs , conveying arms , trafficking for sex , toxic waste disposal, materials theft and poaching . Given TOC's complex qualities, definitions may vary depending on

2912-462: Is wholly compromised, the Alliance of Twelve is an utterly ruthless organization that constantly suspects and conduct surveillance of even its head members. When Arvin Sloane's wife, Emily , admits to knowing of the existence of SD-6, Arvin is told to have his wife killed as a test of loyalty. Arvin was able to win a temporary reprieve because of his wife's cancer which would kill her soon; when her cancer

3016-432: Is widely opposed on the basis of a number of negative effects. It can undermine democracy, disrupt free markets , drain national assets, and inhibit the development of stable societies. In doing so, it has been argued , national and international criminal groups threaten the security of all nations. The victims of these transnational crime networks are governments that are unstable or not powerful enough to prevent them, with

3120-524: The Abu Sayyaf Group . Most illicit trafficking begins or ends in the world's greatest economic powers, such as the G8 (forum) . In other words, the world's largest trading partners are also the world's greatest markets for illicit goods and services. Many of these world powers have recently taken steps to combat TOC in a large, collective, international effort with partners and allies. Several organizations around

3224-641: The Central Intelligence Agency in the American TV series Alias . It was formed at the beginning of Season 4 and is headquartered beneath the Los Angeles subway system . Its first director was Arvin Sloane , who also gave the organization its name as an inside joke since the main entrance to APO's headquarters was behind a maintenance door in the Los Angeles subway system marked "Authorized Personnel Only". Concerned that increased public scrutiny of

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3328-708: The Department of State , conducts CTOC operations at home and abroad by delivering justice and fairness and by strengthening police, courts, and corrections systems. These efforts reduce the amount of crime and illegal drugs reaching U.S. shores. INL CTOC efforts include helping foreign governments build effective law enforcement institutions that combat transnational organized crime, everything from money laundering, cybercrime, and intellectual property theft to trafficking in goods, people, weapons, drugs, or endangered wildlife. INL combats corruption by helping governments build transparent and accountable public institutions—a cornerstone of strong, stable, and fair societies that offer

3432-632: The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) . According to the Government Accountability Office in 2001, The National Security Council identified FinCEN as one of 34 Federal entities that it considered to have a significant role in the fight against international crime. In 2012, the Department of Treasury imposed sanctions on four key transnational organized crime groups: Camorra from Italy , Brothers' Circle from Russia ,

3536-736: The Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center at George Mason University ) has said: Transnational crime will be a defining issue of the 21st century for policymakers - as defining as the Cold War was for the 20th century and colonialism was for the 19th. Terrorists and transnational crime groups will proliferate because these crime groups are major beneficiaries of globalization. They take advantage of increased travel, trade, rapid money movements, telecommunications and computer links, and are well positioned for growth. TOCs may be involved in various types illicit activities. Smaller organizations within

3640-836: The United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime , defines transnational criminal activity under the following conditions: “(a) committed in more than one state”; (b) committed in one state but a substantial part of its preparation, planning, direction or control takes place in another state; (c) committed in one state but involves an organized criminal group that engages in criminal activities in more than one state; (d) committed in one state but has substantial effects in another state.” Prior to World War I , several organizations were created to formalize international police cooperation, but most quickly failed, primarily because public police institutions were not sufficiently detached from

3744-537: The Yamaguchi-gumi ( Yakuza ) from Japan, and Los Zetas from Mexico . The strength and sophistication of a task force's capabilities will be stronger than any single agency's if the task force is multijurisdictional, combining investigative resources from several agencies. The key element in finding out possible links between local crimes and crimes with transnational component is collaboration among law enforcement agencies. To illustrate further, Operation Trifecta,

3848-401: The black market trading of weapons, military secrets, industrial intelligence , medical technology, computer advances, and political agendas. Its clients include governments, corporations, wealthy citizens, and families. The Alliance aims to eventually reach world domination through its control over organized crime and the trade of intelligence. According to Jack Bristow and Arvin Sloane ,

3952-717: The turning (switching sides) of previously loyal agents of the controlling organization by the target. The threat of execution is the most common method of turning a captured agent (working for an intelligence service) into a double agent (working for a foreign intelligence service) or a double agent into a re-doubled agent . It is unlike a defector , who is not considered an agent as agents are in place to function for an intelligence service and defectors are not, but some consider that defectors in place are agents until they have defected. Double agents are often used to transmit disinformation or to identify other agents as part of counter-espionage operations. They are often very trusted by

4056-413: The Alliance once wished to change the world when it had achieved this, and rid the world of corruption, but had become bloated and corrupt over the years, diverging from their original vision and focusing instead on profit. According to Sydney Bristow in the episode " Q and A ", the Alliance of Twelve was responsible for the carbon proxy disaster in 1992, in which an accidental methyl isocyanate leak at

4160-528: The Alliance) who accused him of being a CIA spy. Knowing she could not go back herself, Sydney called her SD-6 partner Marcus Dixon to get the confirmation and tells Dixon the true nature of SD-6. With this information, the CIA was able to successfully raid all the offices of various SD cells around the world; Sydney was a part of the CIA team that infiltrated SD-6 headquarters in Los Angeles and rescued her father moments before he would be electrocuted by Geiger. It

4264-459: The Alliance. Some were distractions so that local resources were occupied so that SD-4 or SD-7 could infiltrate a building somewhere and retrieve sensitive data. SD-6, headed by Arvin Sloane and based in Los Angeles, is the focus of the first two seasons of Alias . SD-6 pretends to be part of the CIA and states its objective as "retrieval and study of intelligence both military and industrial throughout

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4368-532: The CIA and resulting red tape has impeded their ability to do their job, the CIA asked Sloane to set up the covert unit as one that is still governed by U.S. laws, but unhampered by bureaucratic chain of command with no accountability except to themselves. Sloane was chosen because of his experience running SD-6 , which successfully posed as a CIA black ops division for several years. All of its initial members were hand-picked by Sloane, and in order to maintain APO's cover as

4472-527: The CIA using the alias Julia Thorne for almost two years. Eventually, Sydney left the Covenant and had her memory of that time erased in an effort to prevent the Covenant from gaining a crucial Rambaldi artifact, later revealed to be the Sphere of Life. FBI Assistant Director Kendall later told Sydney about those missing years and how she was able to escape the Covenant with his help. At the end of season 3 Lauren Reed

4576-451: The Horizon, had been sought by Prophet Five for thirty years, and was eventually retrieved (after coercing Sydney) by Irina Derevko, who then betrayed Prophet Five, almost four years after the fall of the Alliance. The Covenant is a large, powerful, and secretive intelligence/terrorist organization. The Covenant was a "loose affiliation of Russian nationalists" composed of retired KGB and former Central Committee members, all dedicated to

4680-623: The ICPC's General Assembly, held in Berlin, proposed that each country establish a central point of contact within its police structure: the forerunner of the National Central Bureau (NCB). In 1938, the Nazis assumed control of the ICPC and most countries stopped participating, effectively causing the ICPC to cease to exist as an international organization. After World War II, Belgium led the rebuilding of

4784-678: The International Criminal Court, but that Court does not have the power to take suspects into custody, instead relying on the support of law enforcement and military force in relevant countries. On November 15, 2000, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly and is appointed to serve as the most significant mechanism for fighting TOC internationally. The first of its kind,

4888-568: The Russia government benefits from money gained through cybercrime and through ties between TOC and it energy exporters. China's economy also benefits from cybercrime as well as from counterfeiting. West African and Latin American politicians are either coerced by or maintain financially beneficial relationships with drug traffickers. UNTOC ability to help combat CTOC is compounded by its inability to directly assist countries that are incapable of adhering to

4992-546: The Twelve were after the secret as well. Prophet Five was led by a group of twelve, remarkably similar to the Alliance. In addition, the Shed operated similarly to SD-6, with most agents believing they were part of a black ops division of the CIA. Members have ties to British MI6 , Russian SVR , French Intelligence, the Centers for Disease Control , pharmaceutical companies, and even the CIA . Prophet Five also had some connection with

5096-505: The U.S. efforts to combat transnational organized crime both at home and with partners abroad. DHS leverages and deploys numerous CTOC resources, while working closely with other federal, state and local agencies, foreign governments and partners in the private sector. Once TOC threats are identified, DHS works with partners to interdict them through strengthened interdiction, investigations, and prosecutions. The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), an agency of

5200-539: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime highlighted that Southeast Asia produced an estimated 48 tons of heroin in 2011. The vast majority of this cultivation – roughly twice that of Afghanistan, which arguably receives much greater attention – has occurred in the fragile state of Myanmar. The UN report estimated that the revenue generated from this trade to be worth $ 16.3 billion during the same period. The revenues generated from such trafficking often lie at

5304-452: The United States and many of its allies viewed as transnational organized crime. In recent years, that viewpoint has changed. The character of transnational organized crime has changed in three major ways since the war on drugs began. Drug trafficking has become more diversified, criminal networks have harnessed new methods of conducting business, and the structure of criminal networks has changed. Organized crime has gone global, giving way to

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5408-451: The United States began the War on Drugs . At the time, the flow of illicit narcotics into its borders was deemed a major risk to the health and safety of Americans, and as a result, enormous resources were spent in the effort to curtail both the supply of and demand for illegal drugs. In the three decades that followed President Nixon's declaration, drug trafficking served as the dominant form of what

5512-645: The United States takes in CTOC is the use of multijurisdictional task forces that combine investigative resources from several agencies so that the strength and sophistication of a task force's capabilities are greater than any single agency. Collaboration among law enforcement agencies is a key element in discovering possible links between local crimes and crimes with a transnational component. The National Guard Bureau uses such an organization in CTOC. Its Multijurisdictional Counterdrug Task Force Training (MCTFT) program and its Western Regional Counterdrug Training Center provide

5616-509: The University of Pittsburg and fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations suggested that “[Globalization's] disruptive effect has actually caused people to have to go into organized crime and operate in illicit markets as coping mechanisms.” Citizens in developing countries may experience relative deprivation , or the perception of poverty relative to others rather than absolute poverty, becoming

5720-479: The blast. (The episode revealed that APO headquarters was within a few blocks of Los Angeles City Hall, meaning that APO must be in the Civic Center Station). The series ends with a "flash-forward" to several years into the future (roughly 2014). Marcus Dixon is referred to as "deputy director" but it is not indicated whether APO still exists in this future time. The Shed is a fictional criminal operation in

5824-439: The context. Generally, TOCs are organizations that engage in illicit criminal activities in more than one country with the intent of gaining influence or material benefit. TOCs come in a variety of forms and constantly change in structure. More often than not, they're a collection of groups part of a fluid international network or are part of a temporary collective of small organizations. Some scholars may emphasize TOC's role as

5928-456: The controlling organization since the target organization will give them true, but useless or even counterproductive, information to pass along. [REDACTED]   Red Orchestra [REDACTED]   Gestapo [REDACTED]   Nazi Germany [REDACTED]   Soviet Union [REDACTED] South African citizen [REDACTED] South African citizen [REDACTED] South African citizen A re-doubled agent

6032-571: The convention identified TOC as criminal actions that cannot be sufficiently combated by pacts tailored to a single commercial enterprise. The Ad Hoc Committee was established by the United Nations General Assembly to deal with this problem by taking a series of measures against transnational organized crime. These include the creation of domestic criminal offences to combat the problem, and the adoption of new, sweeping frameworks for mutual legal assistance, extradition, law-enforcement cooperation, and technical assistance and training. A recent report by

6136-575: The convention's guidelines. Most countries agreed for a necessary, innovative, and more strategic approach at the 2010 conference of parties, yet to date no significant employment of tactics or policy has been determined. Voluntary contributions account for nearly all of UNODC's funding and the organization suffers from chronic funding and staffing shortages. This limits UNODC's overall effectiveness. The UN General Assembly has also issued many resolutions to combat TOC; however, most have been ineffective because of their vagueness and irrelevancy. The idea of

6240-460: The core of National Guard Bureau training and collaboration among law enforcement agencies at all levels. As the lead U.S. agency responsible for directing illicit trafficking detection and monitoring activities, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) conducts operational and tactical activities in support of whole-of-government efforts to combat transnational organized crime in the maritime approaches to Central America. SOUTHCOM focuses on strengthening

6344-480: The executive director states, "there is a lack of information on transnational criminal markets and trends. The few studies that exist have looked at sections of the problem, by sector or country, rather than the big picture. Without a global perspective there cannot be evidence-based policy." In response to the threat, law enforcement agencies have created a number of effective approaches for combating this transnational organized crime. Louise I. Shelley (Director of

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6448-480: The father of André Michaux , were recruited to decrypt a section of a 15th-century manuscript known as the Profeta Cinque (Fifth Prophet) which was written in apparently unbreakable code. They succeeded, and discovered that the manuscript referenced proteins, nucleotides and amino acids – advanced genetics apparently ahead of its time. Lehman and Michaux assumed they were being tested, and presented their findings to

6552-417: The field of counterintelligence , a double agent is an employee of a secret intelligence service for one country, whose primary purpose is to spy on a target organization of another country, but who is now spying on their own country's organization for the target organization. Double agentry may be practiced by spies of the target organization who infiltrate the controlling organization or may result from

6656-554: The fight against the common enemy of humankind: the ordinary criminal." This second Congress created the International Criminal Police Commission (ICPC), which served as the direct forerunner of Interpol. Founding members included police officials from Russia, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Poland, China, Egypt, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland and Yugoslavia. In 1926,

6760-534: The first episode of Alias , Sydney learns from her father, Jack , about the organization's true character as a part of The Alliance of Twelve. During the course of the first season, other heads of the SD cells are eventually shown meeting. Among them was Edward Poole, head of SD-9 (played by Roger Moore ), who manages to convince Sloane to kill fellow SD head Jean Briault to influence an upcoming vote on whether to declare war on Alexander Khasinau , who has eliminated rival groups FTL and K-Directorate. Another SD leader

6864-496: The government of North Korea , as Doctor Desantis was transported to a North Korean military facility after escaping Renée Rienne. Members of the Twelve controlled entire sectors of technology, finance, and defense. When Arvin Sloane is summoned to meet the twelve in Minsk, the twelve consist of 11 men and one woman. (These names are from a type-written list found among the material on Prophet Five assembled by Michael Vaughn 's father. It

6968-459: The help of Irina, the APO team managed to prevent The Flood, and Irina killed Elena. However, Nadia Santos had been captured and injected with the tainted water and sent out to fight her sister Sydney, as foreseen by Rambaldi. Sydney only managed to survive with the intervention of Arvin Sloane , who shot Nadia and put her in a coma. Authorized Personnel Only (APO) is a fictional black ops unit within

7072-588: The inner vault had been breached during a security lockdown or for other contingencies. Fail-safe or lockdown procedures could be carried out only by Arvin Sloane, using his right index fingerprint; presumably, other SD cells had similar contingency plans (such as for deterring a CIA raid, which happens in Season 2) that would make it difficult to shut down. In addition, SD-6 employed an internal security group responsible for investigating and terminating individuals who even know of SD-6's existence, those believed to know about

7176-556: The likelihood of detection, and better management of cross-border business ties and outreach for new opportunities through innovations like high-speed travel, telecommunications , and the internet proliferated TOC entities and arranged them into complex criminal networks. Money laundering and other financial crimes link illicit and licit businesses creating new avenues for capital. In effect, domestic authorities are less capable of dismantling TOCs without international support, as targeting them in their local jurisdictions could result in

7280-690: The manufacturer plant in Bhopal, Madhyapradesh, India killed three thousand people and injured another thousand, leaving them disabled. In 1996, near Kyoto, Japan , a bullet train accidentally switched tracks and derailed, killing a hundred and fifty people. The Alliance was also responsible for that disaster. In 2001, the Alliance caused a transport plane in Germany to suffer mechanical failures outside Munich, killing twelve people. The disasters were falsely believed to have been accidents. In truth, some were acts of revenge, others were personal favors to those who helped fund

7384-575: The modern international system, it's cited by scholars as one of the main factors contributing to the growth of TOCs in the late 20th century . Globalization, characterized by increases in economic interdependence , the emergence of the global financial system , and advances in technology and communications has diminished national barriers integral to the Westphalia nation-state system . This shift provided TOCs with new possibilities for criminality. Improvements in coordination for illicit operations decreased

7488-428: The networks conducting illegal activities that provide them with profits. Transnational organized crimes interrupt peace and stability of nations worldwide, often using bribery , violence, or terror to meet their needs. TOC is insufficiently understood, according to the executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. In the most recent full-scale United Nations assessment of TOC, conducted in 2010,

7592-550: The new world envisioned by Milo Rambaldi . It functioned much like an organized crime family. At one point, it had six cell leaders, until Julian Sark and Lauren Reed (a double agent in the United States National Security Council who was Michael Vaughn 's wife) assassinated them in a bid for power. The Covenant had secured Sark's release to gain access to his wealth as a Romanov descendant. McKenas Cole had somehow managed to secure his own release and

7696-449: The organization known today as Interpol was born at the first International Criminal Police Congress, held in Monaco in 1914. It was officially created in 1923 with the name, International Criminal Police Commission, and renamed in 1956 with the name, Interpol. Today, it is the largest international police organization in the world and is made up of 190 member nations. Each member nation staffs

7800-456: The organization, with a new headquarters in Paris and a new name - Interpol . The United Nations did not recognize Interpol as an intergovernmental organization until 1971. On June 17, 1971, President Nixon declared "America's public enemy number one in the United States is drug abuse. In order to fight and defeat this enemy, it is necessary to wage a new, all-out offensive." With this declaration,

7904-513: The political centers of their respective states to function autonomously as expert bureaucracies. In 1914, the First International Criminal Police Congress was held in Monaco, which saw police officers, lawyers and magistrates from 24 countries meeting to discuss arrest procedures, identification techniques, centralized international criminal records and extradition proceedings. This organization appeared poised to avoid

8008-582: The political forces that ended earlier organizations, but the outbreak of World War I disorganized the Congress. In 1923, a second International Criminal Police Congress was held in Vienna, on the initiative of Johannes Schober , President of the Austrian police. Schober, eager to avoid the politics that doomed previous international police efforts, noted that "ours is not a political but a cultural goal. It only concerns

8112-497: The project, Michaux contacted Lehman. He had begun to notice that those who they were told had worked on the project were starting to die in mysterious accidents. He would then change his name and go into hiding (as Bill Vaughn) and urge Lehman to do the same. According to Irina Derevko most assumed Prophet Five to be a myth and discounted its existence, but around the time of the events occurring in Sovogda rumors arose that Prophet Five

8216-412: The promise of confidentiality. In many cases, CIs are engaged in criminal activity themselves and can therefore provide valuable direct evidence regarding the criminal activities being conducted by their criminal associates. Such evidence frequently enables law enforcement officers to obtain warrants authorizing electronic surveillance. In rare cases, the court may order the disclosure of a CIs identity to

8320-619: The root of instability and violence in the region. Additionally, the same routes used to smuggle drugs will likely be used to transport weapons and militants in the event that the current conflict expands. Reconciling the numerous armed ethnic groups that exist within Myanmar continues to be a challenge for the nascent government. A strong drug trade will only complicate negotiations between government officials and these groups. Combating TOC internationally proves difficult because so many governments and economies benefit enormously from TOC. For example,

8424-411: The sale of high-yield weapons that can inflict substantial damage to populations, as well as small firearms and common explosives . In recent decades, organized crime and terrorist organizations have participated in overlapping illicit activities, leading to difficulty in categorizing them. Traditionally, motive distinguishes their categorization as terrorist organization's goals are ideological while

8528-748: The same. " This strategy document set out five overarching policy objectives consistent with the vision and priorities of the National Security Strategy: In keeping with the U.S. National Security Council 's strategy to combat transnational organized crime, the National Guard Bureau established the CTOC Center of Excellence (COE) to educate and train Combatant Commands , military services, federal agencies , state and local law enforcement, and community leaders. Another approach

8632-617: The second most important tool is undercover operations, Through undercover operations, law enforcement agents can infiltrate the highest levels of organized crime by posing as criminals themselves when real criminals discuss their plans and seek assistance in committing crimes. Over time, agents can gain the confidence of criminals and induce them to reveal information on past or ongoing criminal activities. followed by CIs refers to individuals who are not willing to testify but who provide information or assistance to law enforcement in exchange for money or lenient treatment for their own crimes and with

8736-447: The section which has disappeared in French (Sydney translates it as "the section that doesn't exist" in the episode Q&A ), this was coined by founder Alain Christophe. These organizational cells are spread over 12 major cities of the world. The Alliance takes in recruits and tricks them to believe they are working for the CIA when in reality they are not. The purview of the Alliance is

8840-507: The security capacities of U.S. partners in Central America. Another primary focus of SOUTHCOM CTOC efforts is supporting the interdiction of drug trafficking. SOUTHCOM collaborates with other agencies and nations to support CTOC efforts through detection & monitoring, information sharing, and partner nation capacity building. Charged with securing the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plays an integral role in

8944-479: The spy trade after the Cold War. The Alliance of Twelve is an enemy of the United States and a rival to the CIA. The Alliance is led by a board of directors, one of them being Arvin Sloane. Some members are from the private sector, but most are former intelligence officers. All of them are wealthy. The organization is divided into 12 sections, named SD-1 through SD-12. "SD" stands for Section Disparu – literally,

9048-454: The state. By comparison, narco-terrorist organizations (e.g., Mexican drug cartels ) perform public warnings against perceived enemies through paramilitary violence that resembles an insurgent group targeting government security forces and citizens alike. Various criminal organizations engage in activities that overlap with terrorism, including the Tamil Tigers , FARC , Shinning Path , and

9152-404: The television series Alias . The leader of the Shed was initially Gordon Dean , and later temporarily, Kelly Peyton, though her superiors warned her that any more betrayals would lead to severe consequences and they both ultimately answered to a larger group: Prophet Five. Prophet Five served as an Illuminati -like conspiracy group in the fifth season of Alias . The headquarters of Prophet Five

9256-659: The term transnational organized crime. Global governance has failed to keep pace with economic globalization. Antonio Maria Costa , former executive director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime , effectively summarized the change in TOC over the last quarter century by saying, "as unprecedented openness in trade, finance, travel and communication has created economic growth and well-being, it has also given rise to massive opportunities for criminals to make their business prosper." Due to Globalization's impact in reshaping

9360-526: The transition to a capitalist free market. This resulted in a sharp increase in adult and juvenile crime rates as crime organizations are more likely to operate in developing countries with high levels of corruption and in regions distant from state interference. Higher imprisonment rates may proliferate TOC activities as prisons are an essential recruitment network center for criminal enterprises. Detainees prove proper criminal credentials while serving their prison sentence and are given ample time to develop

9464-405: The true nature of SD-6, or those suspected to be Double agents or traitors to SD-6. Sydney's fiancée, Danny, was murdered by SD-6's internal security division in Season 1 after Sydney revealed to him that she works for SD-6, believing it to be a part of the CIA. In addition to the cell-like nature of Section Disparu , which presumably allows the termination of entire SD cells in the event that it

9568-655: The use of confidential informants (CIs), with electronic surveillance being the single most important and effective law enforcement tool against TOC. Electronic surveillance provides reliable, often irrefutable evidence of crimes through a participant's own words or image. This form allows law enforcement to learn of conspirators' plans before they are carried out and is particularly helpful in combating TOC because it enables law enforcement in any country to obtain evidence of co-conspirators in other countries. Obtaining evidence of conspiratorial planning internationally would otherwise be very difficult. After electronic surveillance,

9672-501: The world have initiated efforts to combat TOC whose success or failure have yet to be determined. According to the UN Asia and Far East Institute (UNAFEI), combating transnational organized crime relies first and foremost on effective investigative techniques and prosecutorial tools. Three techniques in particular stand out as the most important in combating transnational organized crime: electronic surveillance , undercover operations , and

9776-491: The world that is critical to the superiority and survival of the United States of America." Even its own members, initially including agent Sydney Bristow , believe it is a black ops division of the CIA; and only a handful of senior staff know the truth and are complicit in the deception. The name "SD-6" derives from the French, Section Disparu , which, in character Sydney Bristow's words, means "The Section that doesn't exist." In

9880-448: Was a former, unwitting agent of The Shed who thought she was working for the CIA while under Gordon Dean ; Rachel essentially took over Sydney's former role as the double agent in the enemy organization while Sydney acted as Rachel's handler just as Vaughn was once hers, particularly since Sydney's current pregnancy limited her abilities as a field agent. As the series approached its finale, numerous changes occurred in APO. Arvin Sloane

9984-491: Was an apocalypse called Il Diluvio , The Flood. Covenant operatives primed the world's water with Rambaldi substances and Elena activated an enormous Mueller device in Sovogda, Russia . The device broadcast a frequency which caused those who had consumed the tainted water to go into a mindless rage. Elena's intent was that, after the entire world's population had been affected, the Earth would be "cleansed" with very few survivors. With

10088-448: Was clearly privy to matters that only a handful of men and women knew about, he was clearly not yet part of an 'inner circle' within The Alliance board, suggesting that there is some sense of competition and suspicion among the SD cells and their leaders. The Alliance came to an end in the middle of Season 2 (Episode 13, "Phase One") of Alias when Sydney stumbles upon information, with Sark's aid, that leads her and Vaughn to believe there

10192-505: Was in Barcelona , Spain, with known Shed satellite offices in Prague , Cleveland , Seattle , Chicago and St. Louis . Prophet Five was started in the 1970s by Oskar Mueller as a project funded by a private foundation. Parts of the project were compartmentalized, but it is known that the "best and the brightest" mathematicians, linguists, scientists, and cryptologists, including James Lehman and

10296-523: Was killed and Sark was captured. In season 4 the Covenant has disappeared as a threat, and Sark later referred to the "implosion of the Covenant." However, the "implosion" was a ruse perpetrated by Elena Derevko , who was revealed to be the leader of the Covenant, and that Irina Derevko had actually been trying to prevent Elena's endgame. Elena's new headquarters is in Prague and was eventually raided; however, she managed to escape. Elena's endgame, based on her interpretation of one of Rambaldi's prophecies,

10400-420: Was now a mole for Prophet Five , a criminal organization that also pretended to be the CIA in order to recruit. Sloane was allowed back into APO in order to use its resources to find a cure for Nadia Santos , his daughter, after the events of the season 4 finale. The first agents recruited and their new call signs are: Nadia Santos (Evergreen) later joined APO at her request. Marshall Flinkman (Merlin)

10504-500: Was now the second most powerful individual in the Covenant. During season 3, it was based in St. Petersburg . Two of its front companies were the Dryden Bank and Chantre Telecom. Following the end of season 2 and prior to the beginning of season 3, The Covenant kidnapped Sydney Bristow and attempted to brainwash her into believing she was a Covenant agent. Sydney operated as a double agent for

10608-401: Was real and had gone active once again. The group pursued the Horizon. The key to finding this Rambaldi device lay with old SD-6 files. Prophet Five kidnapped and hypnotized Sydney Bristow , believing she had the knowledge from SD-6 that would aid in recovering the device. Sydney gave them fake coordinates, but her mother Irina tricked her into taking them to the real location of the Horizon,

10712-437: Was recruited to serve as tech support. Eric Weiss also became a member after crossing paths with Sydney and Vaughn during an APO mission. In the fifth season, APO gained two new members following the apparent death of Michael Vaughn, Eric Weiss 's transfer to Washington D.C. and Nadia's hospitalization for her illness. Thomas Grace (Sidewinder) was recruited from another division of the CIA, while Rachel Gibson (Oracle)

10816-401: Was removed as director and replaced by Jack Bristow . As Sloane's endgame began to come to fruition, involving moles within the CIA itself, Bristow began to hide information from CIA oversight. In the series finale, APO headquarters was destroyed by a large bomb planted in the subway by Julian Sark , who was working with Sloane. APO and the subway were evacuated, but agent Thomas Grace died in

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