Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate

General Intelligence Directorate (GID)

جهاز المخابرات العامة
Official emblem in the front of the headquarters in Cairo.
Agency overview
Formed	1954; 63 years ago (1954)
Jurisdiction	Government of Egypt
Headquarters	Cairo, Egypt
Agency executive	Khaled Fawzy, director
Parent agency	Presidency of Egypt

The General Intelligence Directorate (Arabic: جهاز المخابرات العامة‎‎ Gihaz El Mukhabarat El ‘Amma), often referred to as the Mukhabarat (Egyptian Arabic: المخابرات‎‎ El Mukhabarat) is an Egyptian intelligence agency responsible for providing national security intelligence, both domestically and transnationally, with a counter-terrorism focus. The GID is part of the Egyptian intelligence community, together with the Office of Military Intelligence Services and Reconnaissance (Egyptian Arabic: إدارة المخابرات الحربية والاستطلاع‎‎ Idarat El Mukhabarat El Ḥarbiya Wel Istitlaʾ) and Homeland Security (Egyptian Arabic: قطاع الأمن الوطني‎‎ Ketaʿ El Amn El Watani).

In July 2013, General Mohammed Ahmed Fareed al-Tohami was appointed head of the Egyptian intelligence apparatus, instead of Mohamed Raafat Shehata, who was appointed by Mohamed Morsi in August 2012.

The decision to set up an Egyptian intelligence service was taken by President Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1954, and placed under the command of Zakaria Mohieddin. The agency's importance rose when Nasser assigned its command to Salah Nasr, who held the post of director of the GID from 1957 to 1967 and thoroughly reorganized the agency. Under Nasr's supervision, the GID relocated to its own building and established separate divisions for Radio, Computer, Forgery and Black Operations. To cover the agency's expenses, Nasr set up Al Nasr Company, ostensibly an import-export firm, as a front organization. He played a very important role helping Algeria, Southern Yemen and many Arab and African states gain independence. Although the Egyptian foreign ministry was officially responsible for foreign affairs, GID initiated and aided many Arab and African movements for independence as a part of Gamal Abdel Nasser's anti-imperialist policies. Nasr established good relations with other intelligence agencies across the globe, which helped providing Egypt with wheat and establishing industries such as (Al Nasr Company for Motor Cars). One of his constructions is the Gezeera Tower in Cairo.