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Saudi Arabia sacks spymaster

Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz has sacked the head of the kingdom’s intelligence agency, appointing the former ambassador to the United States as the new intelligence chief.

Citing a royal decree, the official Saudi Press Agency announced on Thursday the replacement of Prince Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz with the former envoy, Prince Bandar bin Sultan.

“Prince Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz has been deposed from his current post and appointed as the king’s advisor and special envoy,” the Saudi state TV reported.

No reason was given for the sacking, but Muqrin has been accused of giving unreliable intelligence on different issues, including the case of Princess Sara bint Talal bin Abdul Aziz, who has alleged physical and mental abuse at the hands of Saudi authorities and sought asylum in Britain.

The decree added that Prince Bandar, a son of the late Crown Prince Sultan, also continues to serve as the head of Saudi National Security Council (NSC).

Born in 1949, Bandar served as Saudi envoy to Washington from 1983 to 2005. He was named the NSC chief in 2005.

Robert Baer, a former CIA officer, revealed last year that Bandar’s wife had been sending money to one of the 9/11 hijackers.

“Why was Prince Bandar's wife sending money to one of the hijackers? There is also all sorts of funding issues about 9/11 which have never been answered,” Baer said at the time.