JEDDAH: The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia has appointed a new spy chief, giving the job to the former deputy defence minister days after sacking him from that post, SPA state news agency reported yesterday.
Prince Khaled bin Bandar bin Abdul Aziz had been unexpectedly removed from his post on Saturday at the request of his boss, the defence minister, after only 45 days on the job.
Early yesterday the SPA said that Prince Khaled had been appointed “head of the General Intelligence with a minister rank” by royal decree.
A former soldier, Prince Khaled served during the past year as both deputy defence minister and governor of Riyadh, one of the most prominent roles occupied by senior ruling family members in the absolute monarchy.
The announcement comes after jihadists spearheading a Sunni militant offensive in Iraq declared on Sunday an “Islamic caliphate”.
Last week Abdullah slammed the jihadists, who are also active in Syria, and instructed authorities to take “necessary measures” to defend his oil-rich kingdom amid fears the Iraq offensive could spill over into Saudi Arabia.
Prince Khaled will take over from Prince Bandar bin Sultan, who headed the intelligence service for two years until April.
Prince Bandar bin Sultan, who was removed from his post after months abroad for medical treatment and who faced intense criticism for his handling of the Syria crisis, was made a special adviser to the king and a special envoy in a decree. He retains his post as the secretary-general of the National Security Council, state news agency SPA reported.
It was not clear if his new appointment means he will return to playing an active role in Saudi security and foreign policy.
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