King appoints new intelligence chief, orders changes

AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Thursday appointed Maj. Gen. Adnan Issam Jundi as director of the General Intelligence Department (GID), succeeding General Faisal Shobaki whose resignation was accepted by the King earlier in the day.

In a letter sent to Jundi, the King highlighted the challenges facing the region, including terrorism and the ongoing war on terror.

“We should confront all shapes and forms of terrorism via all possible means,” the King said in the letter. 

“This necessitates maintaining the public’s confidence in the performance of the GID through… investment to upgrade its capabilities and develop its structure, with the aim of ensuring the highest levels of efficiency and professionalism, and in a way that keeps up with developments, the magnitude of strategic threats and the continuous changes, so that the department would, as it always has, perform its duties with the utmost excellence and proficiency,” the King said. 

He added that such a mission requires “constant work to raise the level of coordination among all the pillars of the security system to ingrain close cooperation and integrated joint action at all levels,” King Abdullah said, stressing in his conclusion that the new GID chief would have all support. 

The King also sent a letter to the outgoing intelligence chief, thanking him for his dedication and “relentless round-the-clock work to protect the security and accomplishments of Jordan against saboteurs and ill-intentioned people, and safeguarding our people against the khawarej of the age and other terrorist groups,” in reference to Daesh terror group.

The work of the GID under the command of General Shobaki, His Majesty concluded, has had an impact on the Jordanian society in the form of “safety and security amid a burning neighbourhood”.

He wished Shobaki good luck as he assumes his new post.   

A Royal Decree was issued earlier Thursday accepting the resignation of Shobaki from his post as King’s adviser on national security affairs and director of GID, as of March 30, 2017.

A second Royal Decree was issued appointing Jundi as director of the GID, as of the same date, according to the Royal Court.

By virtue of a third decree, Shobaki was appointed an adviser to the King.