 In October 1894 the Dreyfus Affair occurred and proved so politically divisive that, in May 1899, the government shifted responsibility for counter-espionage to the Ministry of the Interior.A small intelligence section remained within the General Staff, but the Service de surveillance du territoire ("Territorial Surveillance Service", SST), an agency of the Sûreté générale, became responsible for the pursuit of foreign spies on French soil.Counter-espionage was to be handled by special Sûreté police chiefs.