The terrible war crimes committed by Section 31 continue to come to light decades after Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s Dominion War ended. Believed to have been in existence since the foundation of Starfleet, the secretive organization is committed to protecting Federation interests, whatever the cost. Section 31 appear to experience peaks and troughs in their popularity with Starfleet Command, with their existence being widely known about in Star Trek: Discovery season 2, whereas a century later, they were a complete mystery to Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) and Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) in DS9.
Section 31 worst crimes in Star Trek are actions that completely go against Starfleet’s core ideals. Over the centuries, Section 31 have participated in attempted genocide, overseen the creation of a sentient A.I. that almost destroyed the universe, and have interfered in the internal politics of non-Federation species. They are a law unto themselves, and seemingly fell out of favor with Starfleet Command after their Dominion War crimes were exposed by Doctor Julian Bashir.
5 Kidnapped And Manipulated Doctor Julian Bashir
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 6, Episode 18, “Inquisition”
Section 31’s existence in Star Trek‘s 24th century was first revealed when the organization tried to recruit Dr. Bashir. In the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode “Inquisition”, Bashir is captured by Luther Sloan (William Sadler) who subjects him to an elaborate holodeck simulation designed to test his loyalty. During the simulation, Julian is effectively ostracized by his crewmates for being a Dominion spy, and is even beamed aboard a Cardassian ship where Weyoun (Jeffrey Combs) welcomes him with open arms. Bashir saw through this manipulation, and demanded to know the truth about what was going on.
Sloan revealed that the experience had been a rigorous vetting procedure designed to see if Bashir was a suitable candidate for Section 31. On paper, Doctor Bashir and Section 31 were a good fit, due to the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine medic’s love of spy thrillers. However, Bashir’s strong moral code, and his belief in Starfleet’s original mission meant that he declined Sloan’s offer, believing that the ends could never justify their means. This wasn’t the end of Bashir and Section 31’s story, however, as Sloan later used Julian’s strong moral code against him to interfere in Romulan politics.
4 Framed Senator Cretak For Treason
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 7, Episode 16, “Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges”
In the classic Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode “Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges”, Dr. Bashir is recruited by Section 31 to gather information about the Romulan government during a medical conference. Bashir begrudgingly goes along with Sloan’s plan, even feeding the Section 31 commander information about the ailing health of Koval (John Fleck), the chairman of the Romulan Tal Shiar. This is actually an elaborate manipulation by Sloan, who has convinced Bashir he intends to assassinate Koval, forcing the DS9 Doctor to seek assistance from Senator Cretak (Adrienne Barbeau).
This was what Sloan wanted all along, as Cretak accessing Tal Shiar files to investigate a potential assassination of Koval would be seen as an act of treason. Cretak was subsequently tried and dismissed from the Senate, awaiting a prison sentence or perhaps worse. The elaborate attempt to frame and depose Senator Cretak was an attempt by Section 31 to secure Federation interests once the Dominion War was over. Cretak was no ally of Starfleet, and Koval was a more suitable asset for Section 31 and the Federation in potentially maintaining good relations with the Romulan Star Empire. However, the fact that the life of an innocent woman had to be sacrificed was a bitter pill for Bashir to swallow.
3 Experimented On And Tortured Captain Vadic And Changelings
Star Trek: Picard, Season 3, Episode 7, “Dominion”
Star Trek: Picard season 3 revealed that Section 31 had captured a number of Changelings during the Dominion War. Relating their ordeal to Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), Captain Vadic (Amanda Plummer) revealed that the Changeling prisoners were tortured and experimented upon. In an attempt to understand more about the resilience of their enemy, Section 31 scientists based at Star Trek‘s Daystrom Station subjected their prisoners to the most barbaric torture that is tantamount to war crimes.
It’s unclear if this experimentation was done before or after the creation of the Morphogenic virus, which slowly ravaged the Dominion Founders in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s final season. Given the long gestation time for this devastating virus, it’s possible that once the Dominion War began in earnest, Section 31 were looking for swifter means to deal with the Changeling threat. Ultimately, their brutal experimentation and torture effectively radicalized their Changeling prisoners, who later returned to Daystrom Station to steal the body of Jean-Luc Picard, after forming an alliance with the Borg Queen (Alice Krige) in Star Trek: Picard season 3.
2 Used Odo As A Weapon Against The Founders
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 4, Episodes 11 & 12, “Homefront” & “Paradise Lost”
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s Constable Odo (Rene Auberjonois) was unwittingly used as the carrier of the Morphogenic Virus designed to kill the Changelings. Odo was infected with the virus during a trip to Earth to help then-Commander Benjamin Sisko brief Starfleet on the Changeling threat. Agreeing to a battery of medical scans and tests, Odo was completely unaware that Section 31 had secretly infected him during the process. They hoped that, when Odo returned to the Great Link in the Gamma Quadrant, he would infect his fellow Changelings, which is exactly what he did.
It’s an unbelievably cruel act by Section 31, given Odo’s loyalty to his Starfleet colleagues throughout the Dominion War. He fundamentally disagreed with the Founders’ view of “The Solids”, but tragically Section 31’s nefarious actions proved that the Female Changeling (Salome Jens) may have had a point about their cruelty and distrust. It was the loyalty to Odo that ultimately saved him from the ravages of the Morphogenic Virus, when Dr. Bashir kidnapped Luther Sloan to extract the cure. However, this wasn’t the end of the story for Section 31’s blatant attempt to commit genocide.
1 Attempted To Commit Genocide Against DS9’s Dominion Founders
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 7, Episodes 23 & 24, “Extreme Measures” & “The Dogs of War”
Section 31 attempted to commit genocide, which is the most extreme example of their determination to protect the Federation. It’s even more chilling when, in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 7, episode 24, “The Dogs of War”, Sisko revealed that the Federation Council had decided to withhold the cure for the Morphogenic Virus. This knowledge was even withheld from Jean-Luc Picard, who, in Star Trek: Picard season 3 believed that the Federation handed over a cure the minute they found one. Instead, the Federation and their allies waited until the Dominion was defeated before they handed over the cure as part of the peace process.
Section 31’s extreme attempt to commit genocide against the Dominion Founders is in opposition to everything that Starfleet is supposed to stand for. It’s likely that the other reason that the Federation Council withheld the cure was because of the galactic outcry that would have greeted the revelations about Section 31’s genocidal activities. From Picard’s reaction to Vadic’s revelations, it seems that the exact nature of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s Morphogenic Virus and its creation became highly classified information. The attempt to commit genocide against another species was so antithetical to Starfleet and the Federation that the organization has now gone rogue, lurking somewhere in the fringes of Federation space.
All episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Picard are available to stream on Paramount+.
