General Intelligence Presidency
The General Intelligence Presidency (GIP) (Arabic: (ر.ا.ع) رئاسة الاستخبارات العامة Ri'āsat Al-Istikhbārāt Al-'Āmah), also known as the General Intelligence Directorate (GID), is the primary intelligence agency of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Agency overview
1955
$500 Million (as of 2006)[1]
- Lt. Gen. Khalid bin Ali Al Humaidan, President
- Prince Bandar bin Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Director
Structure[edit]
The highest authority for GIP is the King of Saudi Arabia, King Salman. In accordance with Article 60 of the Basic Law, he dismisses and appoints the directors.
From 2005 to 2012, Prince Muqrin was the Director General of the GIP and Prince Faisal ibn Abdullah ibn Muhammed Al Saud was his deputy.
Leadership[edit]
The first president of Al Mukhabarat Al A'amah was Sheik Kamal Adham, who served from 1965 to 1979.[19][20] Then Turki Al Faisal served as the president of Al Mukhabarat Al A'amah until 2001.[21] Prince Turki resigned abruptly from his post tens days before the 9/11 attacks in 2001 (in which 14 Saudi nationals hijacked and crashed US commercial airliners) despite having had his appointment extended in May 2001 for another four years.[22]
Nawaf bin Abdulaziz replaced Prince Turki on 1 September 2001. The organization was renamed "The General Intelligence Presidency" during Nawwaf's tenure.[23] Nawwaf was relieved of his duty as the head of GIP by Crown Prince Abdullah on 25 January 2005. For nine months, nobody was appointed to head the presidency.[24][25]
Then, Muqrin bin Abdulaziz was appointed as head of the General Intelligence Presidency by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz in October 2005.[26] Additionally, King Abdullah relieved Prince Saud bin Fahd Al Saud of his duties as vice president of GIP.[27][28] Faisal bin Abdullah bin Mohammed was appointed as new vice president of GIP.[27]
On 20 July 2012 Prince Bandar bin Sultan was appointed director general of Al Mukhabarat Al A'amah, replacing Muqrin bin Abdulaziz.[29] Another Saudi royal, Prince Abdulaziz bin Bandar, who had been vice head of the directorate, was relieved from his post, and Youssef bin Ali Al Idrisi replaced him as vice head in October 2012.[30]
On 15 April 2014 Prince Bandar bin Sultan was removed from his position "at his own request" according to the announcement in the Saudi state media.[31][32] It was reported that Prince Bandar would be replaced by his deputy, Youssef bin Ali Al Idrissi.[33]
However, Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud became the director general of the Al Mukhabarat Al A'amah on 30 June 2014.[34] His term ended on 29 January 2015 when Khalid bin Ali Al Humaidan replaced him in the post.[35]