National Security Agency (Bahrain)
| جهاز الأمن الوطني | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | May 8, 2002 |
| Preceding agency |
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| Jurisdiction | Government of Bahrain |
| Headquarters | Diwan Fort, Manama 26°13′22.47″N 50°34′33.8″E / 26.2229083°N 50.576056°E |
| Agency executive |
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The National Security Agency or National Security Apparatus (Arabic: جهاز الأمن الوطني) is an investigating authority in Bahrain that is associated with but not formally part of the Ministry of the Interior. The NSA was formed after King Hamad issued Decree No. 14 of 2002 declaring it as the replacement of the General Directorate for State Security Investigations. The NSA was granted the power to make arrests by a 2008 Royal Decree, and lost this power in 2011, again by Royal Decree.
Before 2002, the NSA was organized as the 'General Directorate for State Security Investigations' (Arabic: الإدارة العامة لمباحث أمن الدولة), also known as 'Security and Intelligence Service'. It was headed by Ian Henderson from 1966 to 1998. After Henderson retired in 1998, the position was taken by Khalid bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, a nephew of the then-ruler Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa.
Adel Flaifel served in the organization until 2002.
The NSA director is appointed by the King, has cabinet rank, and is a member of the Supreme Defence Council along with the Minister of Interior. According to the BCHR and opposition, senior positions of the NSA are occupied by relatives of the King, the majority of the agency's employees are non-Bahraini citizens and, despite being a majority of Bahrain's population, Shi'ites make up only 4% of the NSA's employees.
The current president of the NSA is Talal bin Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, who was appointed on August 4, 2016. Talal bin Mohammed is the son of Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa who served as the Interior Minister of Bahrain for 31 years (1973 - 2004), and is the grandson of Khalifa bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the former Director General of Police & Public Security (1937 - 1961). Talal's great grandfather was the ruler of Bahrain Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa (1872–1942). Talal is the brother Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, the current ambassador of Bahrain to the United Kingdom.
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