NEW INTEL CHIEF FOR JORDAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 009818 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2021 TAGS: PGOV PINR JO SUBJECT: NEW INTEL CHIEF FOR JORDAN Classified By: CDA Daniel Rubinstein, for reasons 1.4 b and d ¶1. (U) King Abdullah appointed Mohammad Dhahabi December 20 as chief of Jordan,s General Intelligence Directorate (GID.) ¶2. (C) Dhahabi, who had been number two at the agency, replaced Samih Asfoura. Asfoura was widely viewed as an interim chief even at the time of his appointment in early May, 2005 to succeed SAAD Khayr. Dhahabi is well known to post from his previous position. He has participated in briefings of numerous members of congress and senior executive branch visitors. ¶3. (SBU) Biographic information on Dhahabi follows: Major General Mohammad Dhahabi is a Muslim East Banker whose family traces its origins to Syria. He was born in December ¶1952. He obtained part of his higher education in the United States (NFI.) He has spent his entire professional life in the General Intelligence Directorate. In the mid-90s, he was office director for former GID chief Samih Batikhi, who was eventually jailed on corruption charges. Dhahabi was deputy GID chief from early 2005 until his promotion to head GID in December, 2005. He is the brother of Nader Dhahabi, the former Minister of Transport and current director of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA.) Mohammad Dhahabi is married. He speaks English well. RUBINSTEIN