Saudi King Salman sets up new state security agency
DUBAI: Saudi King Salman on Thursday decreed the consolidation of counter-terrorism and domestic intelligence under a new body, in a major overhaul of the security apparatus weeks after the interior minister was ousted from the royal succession.
The string of late night royal decrees also ordered a shakeup of senior personnel, replacing the head of the elite royal guard and elevating the head of the newly created presidency of state security, Abdulaziz bin Mohammed al-Howairini, and his deputy to the rank of ministers.
The moves inside the world’s biggest oil exporting nation centralises authority in security matters to the king and his young son, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has made a rapid rise to the pinnacle of power at the expense of his cousin, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef.
The decrees published by the state news agency said the changes were made in order “to face all security challenges with a high degree of flexibility and readiness and the ability to move quickly to face any emergency”.
The move removes important authorities from the interior ministry, which was run by Mohammed bin Nayef — also known as MbN — until last month when he was stripped of his positions and removed as crown prince.
Thursday’s orders also raised the head of Mohammed bin Salman’s personal office to the rank of minister.
A Saudi analyst described the move as a long-overdue reform that would benefit the state but said it “clips the wings of the Interior Ministry and bolsters the powers of the king”.
The elevation of 32-year-old Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MbS, ended two years of speculation about a behindthe-scenes rivalry with MbN over who will eventually take over from King Salman, 81.
Reuters had reported on Wednesday that the king had asked MbN to step down citing an addiction to painkilling drugs that were clouding the latter’s judgment.
A senior Saudi official denied the account, calling it “a complete fantasy worthy of Hollywood”.