Allied Clandestine Committee

Allied Clandestine Committee

The Allied Clandestine Committee (ACC) was a covert NATO body established during the Cold War to coordinate and oversee “stay-behind” operations, such as Operation Gladio, across member states. It worked alongside the NATO Clandestine Planning Committee (CPC) to manage clandestine resistance networks designed to counter a potential Soviet invasion.

History

The ACC was created in the early 1950s as part of NATO’s clandestine infrastructure, following the integration of stay-behind operations into NATO’s framework after its founding in 1949. Its primary role was to standardize and coordinate the activities of national stay-behind networks, ensuring interoperability among NATO member states in the event of a Soviet occupation. The ACC focused on operational aspects, such as training, communications, and logistics, complementing the CPC’s strategic planning role.

The ACC operated under NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), alongside the CPC, and was composed of representatives from NATO member states’ intelligence and military services. It facilitated multinational cooperation by organizing joint training exercises, sharing best practices, and ensuring secure communication channels for stay-behind units. The committee oversaw the establishment of arms caches, recruitment of operatives, and preparation for guerrilla warfare, sabotage, and intelligence-gathering.

Operation Gladio

The ACC played a key role in coordinating Italy’s Gladio network, as noted in the U.S. Army document, which mentions its involvement with the Italian military intelligence service (SIFAR/SID). It ensured that national programs like Gladio aligned with NATO’s broader anti-communist objectives, providing a forum for countries to exchange operational expertise. The ACC’s oversight extended to other stay-behind networks, such as Belgium’s SDRA8, Switzerland’s P-26, and similar groups in Germany, Norway, and the Netherlands.

Like the CPC, the ACC operated with extreme secrecy, with its existence known only to a small circle of NATO and national officials. Its activities were not subject to parliamentary or public oversight. The U.S. Army document indicates that U.S. involvement was limited to liaison roles, with the ACC primarily a European-led initiative, though the CIA and other U.S. agencies may have provided support.

The ACC’s role came under scrutiny in the 1990s when Gladio’s existence was revealed, particularly in Italy. Investigations, as referenced in the Army document, explored whether stay-behind networks coordinated by the ACC were misused for domestic political purposes, such as right-wing terrorism during Italy’s “Years of Lead” (1960s–1980s). Allegations suggest that ACC-coordinated units may have been involved in anti-communist operations that exceeded their original mandate. Similar concerns arose in Belgium and Switzerland, where parliamentary inquiries examined the ACC’s role in national stay-behind programs.

No precise dissolution date is publicly documented. The public exposure of Gladio and the ACC sparked debates about NATO’s covert operations, leading to calls for greater transparency in military alliances.