Sixty-seventh edition of the N&O column / Spooks newsletter

(Date: Tue, 02 Dec 2003 22:09:59 +0100)

Intelligence profile: Egypt

Background

Nominally independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile river in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure.

General

Country name	:	Arab Republic of Egypt
Local name	:	Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah
Short name	:	Egypt or Misr
Governorates	:	Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah, As Suways, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina', Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj

Military branches

Army
Navy
Air Force
Air Defense Command

Intelligence agencies

Al-Mukhabarat al-'Ammah
Mukhabarat el-Khabeya
Mubahath el-Dawla
Jihaz Amn al Daoula

Intelligence Agencies

Beside Jihaz Amn al Daoula (State Security Service), Egypt's internal security is the responsibility of three intelligence organizations:

General Intelligence (Al-Mukhabarat al-'Ammah / General Intelligence and Security Service), attached to the presidency
Military Intelligence (Mukhabarat el-Khabeya / Military Intelligence Service), attached to the Ministry of Defense
Mubahath el-Dawla (General Directorate for State Security Investigations - GDSSI), under direct control of the minister of interior

Any of these agencies can undertake investigations of matters pertaining to national security, but the GDSSI was and still is the main organization for domestic security matters.

Nasser established a pervasive and oppressive internal security apparatus. The security police detained as many as 20,000 political prisoners at a time and discouraged public discussions or meetings that could be construed as unfriendly to the government. The security police recruited local informants to report on the activities and political views of their neighbors. Under Sadat intelligence forces were less obtrusive but still managed to be well informed and effective in monitoring subversives, opposition politicians, and foreigners. The GDSSI remained in 1990 the primary organ for combatting political subversion even after Mubarak and the judiciary took several steps to limit the organization's power.

Sources

US Army Area Handbook
CIA World Factbook
Federation of American Scientists (FAS)
Library of Congress Country Studies