NID

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The NID is a shadowy intelligence agency that appears throughout the run of Stargate SG-1, but also in the Stargate Atlantis episodes "Critical Mass", "Miller's Crossing" and "Outcast". Its official mandate is to provide vital civilian oversight of top secret military operations, but one of their unofficial primary goals is to procure alien technologies. The producers initially wanted to call the organization NRD for "No Real Department", but its sound and affinity to Nerd convinced them to renamed it to "NID" instead. Although the acronym still stands for nothing in particular, the Stargate SG-1 Roleplaying Game says it stands for National Intelligence Department. The NID is made up of federal agents like Malcolm Barrett, bureaucrats like Richard Woolsey, and military personnel such as Colonels Simmons and Harry Maybourne. A set of well-resourced illegal cells named the Rogue NID uses unscrupulous methods to achieve the goals of the official NID and is later replaced by the Trust. With the creation of the IOA, the NID becomes a more legitimate organization, working for the security of the Stargate program and aiding the SGC.

Within the show, the NID is represented by two groups:

  1. An official and responsible operation that seeks to investigate and exploit technology brought back through the Stargate by the SGC while, at the same time, observing the members of the United States military to ensure that their actions are the 'correct' ones. The official agency has a number of Men in Black-style agents, like Agent Malcolm Barrett, and bureaucrats like Richard Woolsey.
NID

Universe

 Stargate

Type

 Intelligence agency

Founded

Location

 Washington, D.C.
Area 51

Key people

 Colonel Harry Maybourne (rogue)
Colonel Frank Simmons (rogue)
Malcolm Barrett (official)

Purpose

 Provide vital civilian oversight of top secret military operations (officially)
Procure alien technology and intelligence (rogue)

Technologies

 SGC technology

Affiliations

 SGC (official)
The Committee, The Trust (rogue)
  1. A set of well resourced rogue cells that use unscrupulous methods to procure alien technology, develop weapons, and gather intelligence. Despite its illegality, and the efforts of the legitimate branches of the NID to hunt down and destroy the cancerous organization, the rogue cells make extensive use of NID operatives and resources. Initially they operated using the second stargate unearthed in the episode "Solitudes". Later they were based either 'off world' or in disused warehouses throughout the Earth.  
Throughout the run of Stargate SG-1, the work of the Rogue NID is associated with Colonel Harry Maybourne. The group initially uses the second Stargate unearthed in "Solitudes", and later bases their operations off-world or in disused warehouses throughout the Earth. The rogue elements justify their unscrupulous methods as defense from the Goa'uld attack on Earth regardless of considerations like inter-planetary diplomacy, criticizing the diplomatic contacts and negotiations of the SGC as too slow. The leading shadow group of the rogue NID, "The Committee", which eventually evolved into The Trust, are made up of various individual businessmen, politicians and corporations who wish to exploit alien technology for financial gain.  The more prominent members of the rogue NID are later revealed to be Senator Robert Kinsey and Colonel Frank Simmons. The SGC puts an end to the rogue NID in "Smoke and Mirrors" after arresting and imprisoning the majority of its upper echelon.

In the episode "Touchstone", General Hammond comments: "Back when the SG program began there was a philosophical skirmish about its mandate. Some people wanted to make sure that any and all discoveries were brought back regardless of considerations like inter-planetary diplomacy." Hammond also comments that he thought that there was a politician or politicians pulling strings behind the scenes, this was later revealed to be Senator Robert Kinsey. Another prominent member of the group was Colonel Frank Simmons, played by John de Lancie.

With the creation of the IOA, the NID becomes a more legitimate organization, working for the security of the Stargate program and aiding the SGC. The NID assists with operations on Earth such as, the interrogation of prisoners. Recently, their main goal seems to be neutralizing the threat posed by The Trust.