Sudanese president reorganises security, intelligence services
KHARTOUM, March 25, 2004 (Sudan Tribune) — The Sudanese president, Omar Hasan al-Beshir, yesterday issued a republican interim decree to amend the law of 1991 on the national security forces, the pro governmental newspaper al-Anbaa reported today.
The step was taken in order to set up a security and intelligence organ called the Security and Intelligence Service.
The service will be a regular national force under the president’s supervision and under the direct responsibility of a director-general.
The interim decree specified that the most prominent duties of the National Security and Intelligence Service (NSIS) would be to safeguard Sudan’s national security, secure its unity, gather and analyse information and investigate and reveal any activities or elements which could threaten Sudan’s security and safety.
The NSIS will also be tasked with providing advice on security and intelligence issues to the country’s various official bodies, as well as revealing threats from any foreign activity in the areas of terrorism and subversion. It will also fight any subversive activities by organizations or groups inside or outside Sudan.
In addition, the service will also cooperate with similar bodies to fight terrorism and activities which could also jeopardize foreign security.
The decree stated that the president of the republic, under the recommendation of the director of the service, will appoint a deputy director general.
At the same time, based on a recommendation by the director-general, the president will have the right to transfer any NSIS member from or to any other regular force or any forces from the national service.
It is worth recalling that the president had previously issued a presidential decree entrusting chief Major Geneneral Salih Abdlallah with the duties of chief of intelligence, as well as director of national security.
It is expected that the internal structure of the security system will be reorganized to incorporate the national security and the intelligence bodies into a single organisation