Sudan’s intelligence chief defends GIS-affiliated companies

The director of Sudan’s General Intelligence Service, Lt Gen Jamal Abdelmajeed, has defended the existence of companies affiliated with the security apparatus. Sudanese activists are demanding the transfer of companies belonging to members of the GIS as well as all companies of Sudanese military institutions and generals to the Ministry of Finance.

In an orientation meeting with security officers on Friday, Abdelmajeed said that the GIS companies were established to develop and support the apparatus’ capabilities to perform its national role, serve its employees, provide services, as well as providing “the appropriate environment for pensioners and their families”.

These companies operate “according to sound controls and procedures”, and have not recorded “any abuse of authority”.

The GIS director emphasised that most companies of the security apparatus have limited yields. “They do not have a significant impact on public income, and do not constitute any burden on the state,” he said.

The GIS remains committed to the cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, especially with regard to companies that can help support the country’s requirements.

Security reform

Sudan’s infamous National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) was reformed, its competences adjusted, and its name was changed to General Intelligence Service (GIS) in late July last year.

The Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported on July 29 that TMC chairman Abdelfattah El Burhan issued a constitutional decree to amend several articles of the National National Security Act of 2010, in order to restructure the NISS. The new intelligence service is reportedly no longer authorised to detain people or carry out search operations.

“The amendment stipulated in the constitutional decree comes within the framework of restructuring the security apparatus, to cope with the political change in the country,” the then director of the GIS, Gen Abubakir Dambalab, said.

In September last year, the Public Prosecutor in Omdurman issued an arrest warrant for former National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) chief Salah Abdallah, aka Salah Gosh, on charges of first degree murder.

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