Head of intel

Head of Palestinian intelligence service to be tried for foiling W. Bank attacks

The head of the Palestinian General Intelligence Service is set to be put on trial in Gaza for foiling Palestinian terror attacks in the West Bank, Palestinian reports said Monday. 

Gaza's public prosecutor filed a lawsuit against Majid Faraj to the Gaza Military Court, the Palestinian Information Center reported. 

Faraj is accused of "sincerely acknowledging in the media that he had thwarted the operations of Palestinian resistance in the West Bank," the prosecutor said. 

"The Palestinian resistance and its weapons are legitimate and acting against it is strictly prohibited," the prosecutor added, according to the report. 

Head of intel

New spy boss appointed

A new head of New Zealand's foreign intelligence agency has been named.

Prime Minister John Key today announced the appointment of senior public servant Andrew Hampton as the director of the Government Communications Security Bureau, for a five-year term starting on April 26.

Mr Hampton has previously been deputy secretary courts for the Ministry of Justice, deputy chief executive of Crown Law, deputy secretary for Education and director of the Office of Treaty Settlements.

He is currently the government chief talent officer at the State Services Commission, and is the head of profession for human resources in the state services.

Current acting director Lisa Fong will continue until Mr Hampton takes up the role.

Head of intel


Parliament to vote on intelligence inspector general post

Parliament will on Wednesday vote on filling the post of South Africa’s inspector general of intelligence, which has been vacant since April last year when Faith Radebe’s term of office ended.

Parliament’s joint standing committee on intelligence (JSCI) report recommended ANC MP Cecil Burgess, who is the former head of the intelligence committee who championed the so-called Secrecy Bill, be appointed.

Opposition parties have fiercely objected to his candidacy.

In order for it to pass through the National Assembly, two thirds majority must vote in favour of the report. The ruling party has 249 MPs in the National Assembly, and 267 are needed to carry the vote.