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President Mohamed Morsy has appointed general Mohamed Raafat Abdel-Wahed Shehata as the new intelligence chief.
Shehata has been the acting head of intelligence since former intelligence Chief Mourad Mwafy was retired by Morsy following the Rafah attacks of 5 August, which left 18 Egyptian soldiers dead.
Shehata is known for his direct communication with Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Fatah and with the Israeli government as well.
He played a key role in the Palestinian prisoner swap deal for the Israeli soldier Gilad Shaalit. He was among those who received Shaalit at the Egyptian border with Gaza, before delivering him to Israeli authorities.
As well as previously being deputy head of intelligence, Shehata was also the secretary general of the intelligence service.
The new appointment was announced by the president’s spokesman Yasser Aly on his official Facebook page.
“After reviewing the constitutional declaration issued on 13 February 2011, and the Constitutional Declaration of 30 March 2011, and the Constitutional Declaration of August 11, 2012, and the Law No. 10 of 1971 for the General Intelligence system, Mr Mohamed Raafat Abdel-Wahed Shehata was appointed intelligence chief General,” his statement read.
