Al Mukhabarat Al A'amah

The Ri'āsat Al-Istikhbārāt Al-'Āmah (رئاسة الاستخبارات العامة), or the General Intelligence Presidency (GIP), is the primary intelligence agency 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 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.

Turki al Faisal was president of Al Mukhabarat Al A'amah from 1977 to 2001. He resigned from his post immediately before 9/11 attacks in 2001.

Nawaf replaced him. The organization was renamed “The General Intelligence Presidency” during Nawwaf’s tenure. Nawwaf was relieved of his duty as the head of GIP by Crown Prince Abdullah on January 25, 2005. For a while, nobody was appointed the head.

Then, Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz was appointed as president of the General Intelligence Presidency by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz in October 2005. Additionally, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz relieved Prince Saud bin Fahd of his duties as vice president of GIP. Prince Faisal bin Abdullah bin Mohammed was appointed as a new assistant president of GIP. On 20 July 2012, Bandar bin Sultan was appointed Director General of Al Mukhabarat Al A'amah, replacing Muqrin bin Abdulaziz.

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.