Editing Special Branch (section)

==South Africa==
{{Main|Security Branch (South Africa)}}
During [[Apartheid]], the [[South African Police]]'s Security Branch, also known as the Special Branch<ref name="oMalleySecurityBranch">{{Cite web | url=https://omalley.nelsonmandela.org/omalley/index.php/site/q/03lv03445/04lv03446/05lv03497.htm | title=Security Branch - the O'Malley Archives}}</ref> was a police unit often used to attack anti-[[Apartheid]] groups using techniques and tactics including such as conducting surveillance, infiltrating meetings, recruiting informers, and obtaining documents and leaflets. They have also been linked to torture, extralegal detention, and [[forced disappearance]]s and assassinations against anti-Apartheid activists in the ANC and SACP. They first gained this role in the 1960s, under the regime of Justice Minister "B.J." Vorster, who convened the Special Branch to target these groups. Controversially, they have also been linked to the bombing of anti-apartheid groups COSATU and SACC during the South African Truth & Reconciliation Committees.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/sep/27/uk.freedomofinformation |title=Documents show how Special Branch infiltrated Anti-Apartheid Movement |access-date=2016-07-19 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826010536/http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/sep/27/uk.freedomofinformation |archive-date=26 August 2016 |df=dmy |newspaper=The Guardian |date=2005-09-26 |last1=Evans |first1=Rob }}</ref> It is now the Crime Intelligence Unit which investigates crime but which continues to investigate groups perceived to be [[enemy of the state|enemies of the state]] such as social movements.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sahistory.org.za/archive/special-branch |title=The 'special branch' |access-date=2016-07-19 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820104952/http://www.sahistory.org.za/archive/special-branch |archive-date=20 August 2016 |df=dmy |date=2012-01-13 }}</ref>