Citation

Hillebrand C. Intell. Natl. Secur. 2019; 34(1): 38-61.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/02684527.2018.1540175

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The post-9/11 era has seen a proliferation of special, or one-off parliamentary inquiries into intelligence. This article examines the question of what quality such inquiries can achieve, exploring the scandal surrounding the case of the German far-right terrorist group National Socialist Underground (NSU). The article introduces a theoretical framework, with remit, rigor and reception as the key pillars of analysis. While special inquiries are often seen as a way of overcoming imperfections of the traditional accountability system, they can also create a placebo effect - an illusion of accountability which allows intelligence services to go uncontrolled under a blanket of democracy.

Language: en