General Intelligence Department (Jordan)
Jordanian General Intelligence Department, GID or Mukhabarat (Arabic: دائرة المخابرات العامة) is the primary civilian foreign and domestic intelligence agency of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The GID is reportedly one of the most important and professional intelligence agencies in the Middle East;[1] the agency has been instrumental in foiling several terrorist attacks both in Jordan and around the world.[2]
Agency overview
1964
- General Investigation Department
- General Ahmad Husni, Director
Law and establishment[edit]
Before establishing GID, the department was known as the General Investigation Department (دائرة المباحث العامة) from 1952 to 1964.
GID was established in accordance with Act 24 of the year 1964 which went through all its constitutional stages.
The GID Director is appointed by royal decree, itself the result of a decision made by the Council of Ministers. On January 2, 2009, King Abdullah II replaced Muhammad Dahabi (brother of Nader Dahabi) as director with General Muhammad Raqqad, the former GID director.[3] In 2012, Muhammad Dahabi was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment. Officers are also appointed by royal decree upon the recommendation of the Director-General; they all have university degrees in different majors and must go through a thorough security check before joining the service.
The duties of the GID is specified in law and consists of protecting the internal and external security of the Kingdom through carrying out necessary intelligence operations and executing duties assigned by the Prime Minister in writing.