Al Mukhabarat Al A'amah
Encyclopedia
The Ri'āsat Al-Istikhbārāt Al-'Āmah , or the General Intelligence Presidency (GIP), is the primary intelligence agency
of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
. His interest in modern communication increasingly grew when he set up the first radio communications system in Saudi Arabia.
The kingdom started the intelligence service in 1955 under the name of Al-Mabahith Al-Aammah
.
During the reign of King Saud bin Abdulaziz
, the General Intelligence was separated from the Mabahith
(General Investigation Directorate). Intelligence was established as an independent security service with the issuing of the Royal Decree 11 in 1957 that ordered the setting up of a special department under the title of Maslahat Al-Istikhbarat Al-Aammah or (General Intelligence Department). During this period two branches of the Presidency were set up locally, the western branch in Jeddah
, and eastern one in Dhahran
.
The GIP expanded under King Faisal bin Abdulaziz
, with the opening of offices abroad. The agency expanded its monitoring of internal threats after the 1979 capture of the Grand Mosque
in Mecca.
The GIP's charter was changed by King Khaled bin Abdulaziz
in 1982, by Royal Decree M-5, dated 19 December 1982, which set out its responsibilities, duties, and the limits of its activities. This established the internal organization of the agency with a General Department for Operations, the General Department for Administration and Finance, the General Department for Training and Planning, and the General Department for Technical Affairs. Along with the National Research Center, and the Center for Media and International Communications (previously Center for Translation and Media).
In 1997, the Office for External Communications was transferred to the Presidency from the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. Its name was also changed to the General Department for External Communications, and it was strengthened with the addition of high-tech equipment and specialists in radio surveillance. This period saw the expansion of the activities of the agency abroad with the establishment and development of more offices in other countries, and through more effort to organize its work.
During the reign of King Fahd bin Abdulaziz
the Higher Committee for Development was set up and was chaired by the President of the General Intelligence Presidency; its membership consisted of the heads of the various departments of the GIP. Also during the tenure of King Fahd, the administrative structuring of the Information Center was approved.
Muqran bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud was appointed as president of the General Intelligence Presidency by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz
in October 2005.
The GIP does this through:
1. Early collection of information about countries of interest.
2. Planning and executing intelligence operations in these countries.
3. Countering espionage, intellectual and material destruction and uncovering hostile individuals.
4. Coordinating specialized studies and strategic research by the intelligence staff and in cooperation with universities, research centers, security bodies and other intelligence services.
5. Monitoring the changing domestic and international situation.
1. Full obligation of the Islamic Sharia (Islamic Law).
2. Protection of the country and the citizen interests.
3. Full obligation of the official trends and attitudes of the country.
4. Initiative.
5. Working with sense of mature security.
6. Confidentiality.
7. Discipline.
8. Being free of personal tendencies and fancies.
9. Continuous improvement.
10. Full obligation of institutional approach in the work.
11. Quality, not quantity.
12. Applying the principle of reward and punishment.
Intelligence agency
An intelligence agency is a governmental agency that is devoted to information gathering for purposes of national security and defence. Means of information gathering may include espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public...
of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
History
The role of intelligence was recognized by King Abdulaziz Al-Saud who had used it in his unification of Saudi ArabiaUnification of Saudi Arabia
The unification of Saudi Arabia was the process by which the various tribes, sheikhdoms, and emirates of most of the Arabian Peninsula were consolidated under the control of the House of Saud, or Al Saud, between 1902 and 1932, when the modern-day Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was proclaimed...
. His interest in modern communication increasingly grew when he set up the first radio communications system in Saudi Arabia.
The kingdom started the intelligence service in 1955 under the name of Al-Mabahith Al-Aammah
Mabahith
The Mabahith , also spelled Mabaheth, is the secret police agency of the Ministry of Interior in Saudi Arabia.According to Human Rights Watch, the Mabahith "monitors suspected political opponents and others, targets individuals for arrest, and interrogates detainees...
.
During the reign of King Saud bin Abdulaziz
Saud of Saudi Arabia
Saud bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud was King of Saudi Arabia from 1953 to 1964. He was removed from power by Faisal because of Saud's mismanagement and waste. He was the eldest surviving son of Ibn Saud and became Crown Prince in 1933. He died in exile in Greece.-Early life:Saud was born in 1902 in Kuwait...
, the General Intelligence was separated from the Mabahith
Mabahith
The Mabahith , also spelled Mabaheth, is the secret police agency of the Ministry of Interior in Saudi Arabia.According to Human Rights Watch, the Mabahith "monitors suspected political opponents and others, targets individuals for arrest, and interrogates detainees...
(General Investigation Directorate). Intelligence was established as an independent security service with the issuing of the Royal Decree 11 in 1957 that ordered the setting up of a special department under the title of Maslahat Al-Istikhbarat Al-Aammah or (General Intelligence Department). During this period two branches of the Presidency were set up locally, the western branch in Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
, and eastern one in Dhahran
Dhahran
Dhahran is a city located in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, and is a major administrative center for the Saudi oil industry. Large oil reserves were first identified in the Dhahran area in 1931, and in 1935 Standard Oil of California drilled the first commercially viable oil well...
.
The GIP expanded under King Faisal bin Abdulaziz
Faisal of Saudi Arabia
Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud was King of Saudi Arabia from 1964 to 1975. As king, he is credited with rescuing the country's finances and implementing a policy of modernization and reform, while his main foreign policy themes were pan-Islamic Nationalism, anti-Communism, and pro-Palestinian...
, with the opening of offices abroad. The agency expanded its monitoring of internal threats after the 1979 capture of the Grand Mosque
Grand Mosque Seizure
The Grand Mosque Seizure on November 20, 1979, was an armed attack and takeover by Islamist dissidents of the Al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest place in Islam...
in Mecca.
The GIP's charter was changed by King Khaled bin Abdulaziz
Khalid of Saudi Arabia
Khalid bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud was King of Saudi Arabia from 1975 to 1982. He ruled during Saudi Arabia's oil boom years. In 1979, he had to deal with the Grand Mosque Seizure...
in 1982, by Royal Decree M-5, dated 19 December 1982, which set out its responsibilities, duties, and the limits of its activities. This established the internal organization of the agency with a General Department for Operations, the General Department for Administration and Finance, the General Department for Training and Planning, and the General Department for Technical Affairs. Along with the National Research Center, and the Center for Media and International Communications (previously Center for Translation and Media).
In 1997, the Office for External Communications was transferred to the Presidency from the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. Its name was also changed to the General Department for External Communications, and it was strengthened with the addition of high-tech equipment and specialists in radio surveillance. This period saw the expansion of the activities of the agency abroad with the establishment and development of more offices in other countries, and through more effort to organize its work.
During the reign of King Fahd bin Abdulaziz
Fahd of Saudi Arabia
Fahd bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, was King of Saudi Arabia from 1982 to 2005...
the Higher Committee for Development was set up and was chaired by the President of the General Intelligence Presidency; its membership consisted of the heads of the various departments of the GIP. Also during the tenure of King Fahd, the administrative structuring of the Information Center was approved.
Muqran bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud was appointed as president of the General Intelligence Presidency by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz
Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, is the King of Saudi Arabia. He succeeded to the throne on 1 August 2005 upon the death of his half-brother, King Fahd. When Crown Prince, he governed Saudi Arabia as regent from 1998 to 2005...
in October 2005.
GIP Mission
The mission of the Presidency is “provide strategic intelligence, contribute to achieve national security, and provide timely information to the authorities, so that they can take rapid and appropriate actions.”The GIP does this through:
1. Early collection of information about countries of interest.
2. Planning and executing intelligence operations in these countries.
3. Countering espionage, intellectual and material destruction and uncovering hostile individuals.
4. Coordinating specialized studies and strategic research by the intelligence staff and in cooperation with universities, research centers, security bodies and other intelligence services.
5. Monitoring the changing domestic and international situation.
Values & Principles
The GIP in its work is guided by its core values and principles.1. Full obligation of the Islamic Sharia (Islamic Law).
2. Protection of the country and the citizen interests.
3. Full obligation of the official trends and attitudes of the country.
4. Initiative.
5. Working with sense of mature security.
6. Confidentiality.
7. Discipline.
8. Being free of personal tendencies and fancies.
9. Continuous improvement.
10. Full obligation of institutional approach in the work.
11. Quality, not quantity.
12. Applying the principle of reward and punishment.