Dairat al-Mukhabarat al-Ammah

General Intelligence Department (GID)
دائرة المخابرات العامة
Official Seal of the GID
Agency overview
Formed	1952
Preceding agency	General Investigation Department
Headquarters	Amman, Jordan
Annual budget	Classified
Agency executive	M. Raqqad, Director
Website
http://www.gid.gov.jo

Dairat al-Mukhabarat al-Ammah (Arabic: دائرة المخابرات العامة) (translated: General Intelligence Directorate, or GID) is the Jordanian intelligence agency. The GID is reportedly one of the most important intelligence agencies in the Middle East^[1], and is considered the most professional in the Arab world.^[2]

Contents 1 Law and Establishment 2 Mission 3 History 4 Emblem 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Law and Establishment

Before establishing GID , the department was known as The General Investigation department Arabic:(دائرة المباحث العامة),between 1952 - 1964.

GID was established in accordance with the Act 24 for the year 1964 which went through all its constitutional stages.

GID Director is appointed by a Royal Decree, based on a decision made by the Counsel of Ministers. On January 2, 2008, King Abdullah II replaced director Muhammad Dahabi (brother of Nader Dahabi) with Gen. Muhammad Raqqad, now the current GID director.^[3] Officers are also appointed by a Royal Decree upon the recommendation of the Director General, they all have university degrees in different majors and must go through security check before joining the service.

The law specified and duties of GID constitute in protecting internal and external security of the Kingdom through carrying out necessary intelligence operations, and executing duties assigned by the Prime Minister in writing.

[edit] Mission

As quoted from the official GID Site, their mission is

“

to contribute to the safeguarding of the Kingdom and the Nation under the Hashemite leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah II Bin Al Hussein, as well as protecting freedoms and preserving democracy. It is our objective to share with others the responsibility of building the proper grounds that leads to create an environment of security and stability, which will reflect prosperously on all sectors of the Nation, providing the confidence to all types of local and foreign investors to operate in a reliable and secure atmosphere.

”

In practice, the agency is notoriously known for its extensive activity in Jordan and throughout the Middle East, as well as its cooperation with American, British, and Israeli intelligence. Through a complex spying system, it plays a central role in preserving stability in Jordan and monitoring seditious activity. The GID is believed to be the CIA's closest partner after the MI6. The friendship between the GID and the CIA has even surpassed that of Mossad, Israel's counterrorism agency.^[4]

[edit] History

The GID was the main force behind maintaining Jordan's stability in the years after Black September, thwarting numerous terrorist plots. Even before 9/11, the Jordanians had become key partners in the war on terror. In 1999, tips from the Mukhabarat alerted the CIA to plots by Bosnia-based terrorists against U.S. targets in Europe.

At the dawn of the new millennium, Jordanian Intelligence uncovered a large scale terrorist attack, known as the 2000 Millennium Terrorist attacks, that would have attacked dozens of hotels across Jordan and the United States. Jordan immediately relayed the information to Washington and the attacks were thwarted in both countries. The GID warned the United States of the impending 9/11 attacks. In late summer 2001, Jordan intelligence intercepted a message stating that a major attack was being planned inside the US and that aircraft would be used. The code name of the operation was Big Wedding, which did in fact turn out to be the codename of the 9/11 plot. The message was passed to US intelligence through several channels.^[5]

As many as 100 al Qaeda prisoners have passed through the Mokhabarat's Al Jafr prison in the southern desert. Among them are some of the biggest catches in the war on terror: Al Qaeda operations head Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and Persian Gulf chief Abd al-Rahim al Nashiri.^[2] The reliance of US intelligence on its Jordanian counterpart was forged in part by both countries’ aversion to Islamic radicalism. Their collaboration is believed to have helped quell the Al-Qaeda insurgency in Iraq and eliminate terrorist masterminds such as Abu Musab al Zarqawi.^[6]

The first director of the GID is General Muhammad Suheimat in 1952 and the current director is General Muhammad Raqqad.

[edit] Emblem

1. The Crown: The Hashemite Royal Crown represents the Constitutional Monarchy.
2. The Olive Wreath: Two branches of olive symbolizes prosperity, welfare and peace.
3. The Shield: An Arabic Islamic shield carved on it twenty five Arabian gates marking independence day, May 25, it also symbolizes defending the security of the nation and safeness of the Home Land.
4. The Eagle: One of the country's powerful birds, symbolizes power, invulnerability and having control over the target .
5. The Snake: Symbolizes the invisible enemy either internal or external.
6. The Two Swords: Two Arabian Swords crisscrossing behind the shield, symbolizing the use of power against terrorism, evil and corruption.
7. The Ribbon: A ribbon written on it the holy verses "say the truth has prevailed," which means that we represent the truth, seek to implement it and fight the untrue. It also represents the base that the two swords and the two olive branches are settling on.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• GID.gov.jo - The official website of the GID

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