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| Arabia |
| Saudi intelligence a "critical problem" |
| 2005-02-02 |
| RIYADH, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's main foreign intelligence service has become markedly less effective in recent years and its weakness has become a critical security problem, a U.S. think tank said on Wednesday. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said the Saudi General Intelligence Presidency (GIP) suffers from poor research and analysis which has left it unable to play a full role in tackling a wave of al Qaeda violence in the oil-rich kingdom. "Considering the kingdom's vital strategic position in the international community, as well as its place at the centre of the global war on terrorism, such deficiencies are particularly dangerous," CSIS said in its report. "In general, the weakness of the GIP is one of the critical national security problems facing Saudi Arabia". The CSIS report was released just days before Saudi Arabia hosts a counter-terror conference which it says aims to pool international experience in tackling terrorism worldwide. It also followed the resignation of GIP chief Prince Nawaf bin Abdul-Aziz who replaced Prince Turki al-Faisal shortly before the Sept 11 2001 attacks, carried out mainly by Saudi hijackers. Nawaf suffered a brain haemorrhage in 2002 but remained in post until his resignation last week. No replacement for Nawaf has been announced. "The GIP has become markedly less effective since the departure of Prince Turki," the CSIS report said. "Most of the sophisticated networks that had been established over many years have deteriorated and hence the GIP's role in the global war on terrorism has been marginal at best". It said the head of the GIP, which has an estimated $500 million a year budget, is theoretically responsible for intelligence gathering and analysis and coordinating intelligence tasks of all Saudi intelligence agencies. But in practice "at the operational level there now is no real Saudi intelligence community". Efforts are being made to improve coordination and sharing of intelligence, it added. Saudi Arabia is battling a 21-month campaign of suicide bombings and killing by militants loyal to al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who aim to expel non-Muslims from the world's biggest oil exporter and topple the ruling pro-U.S. Saud family. In December, militants detonated two car bombs near the Interior Ministry and an emergency forces building in the capital. They also stormed the U.S. consulate in the Red Sea city of Jeddah. But Saudi security forces have killed or arrested many of the most wanted militants and the government says it has broken the back of their violent campaign. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #5 Saudi intelligence a "critical problem" Intelligence is always a "critical problem" for those who are utterly devoid of it. All we are seeing is the logical extension of what happens when "What, me worry?" is enshrined as an ideological centerpiece. "The GIP has become markedly less effective since the departure of Prince Turki," the CSIS report said. Considering that Turki was a direct conduit to mullah Omar and al Qaeda in general, I fail to see how his departure could make things much worse, save for our enemies. Saudi Arabia richly deserves the mayhem they've so painstakingly bred up in their midst all these years. I hope the entire royal family dies slowly at the hands of their own servants. It couldn't happen to a nicer bunch. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2005-02-02 10:35:53 PM |
| #4 Efforts are being made to improve coordination and sharing of intelligence, it added. How someone can share something that is not there? Puzzled... |
| Posted by: Sobiesky 2005-02-02 9:50:53 PM |
| #3 Saudis have intelligence? Are you sure? ;-p |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2005-02-02 9:34:23 PM |
| #2 LOL Steve! |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-02-02 6:01:06 PM |
| #1 Is this just a day for unfortunate headlines? |
| Posted by: .com 2005-02-02 6:00:25 PM |