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New reshuffle hits National Security apparatus "Balance between law enforcement and human rights" is the vision in upcoming period, says ministry official
Egyptian Minister of Interior Magdy Abdel Ghaffar announced Saturday a reshuffle within the ministry extending to promotions, transfers, and dismissals of various officers. The reshuffle also included personnel from the Officers' Affairs, Financial Affairs, National Security, Economic Security departments, as well as different security directorates in Alexandria, East Delta, Upper Egypt, Giza, Minya, Sharqeya, and Suez. However, the Interior Minister's media relations assistant Major General Abu Bakr Abdel Karim said Sunday that the reshuffle is "normal" and that "the former officials performed efficiently". "In each reshuffle, there is a different vision. The new leadership wants to add to the new position so they provide new visions and objectives. All of this leads to the benefit of the public interest," Abdel Karim said. Concerning the upcoming period, Abdel Karim said the ministry "is working hard to encourage civilians' trust towards the security apparatuses" and that "keeping human dignity, refusing violations or mistakes, and resisting any actions that might affect the relationship between the police and the civilian is crucial to the ministry because the people are important, along with their support and cooperation". Changes also occurred inside the ministry's influential and controversial National Security apparatus, promoting General Mahmoud Shaarawi to the position of Deputy Minister of Interior for National Security. Shaarawi is also one of the apparatus's most active personnel in the field of "combating fundamentalist activity". He is known to have led a security campaign that attacked the "Arab Sharkas" militant cell last year. After the 25 January Revolution in 2011 and toppling former president Hosni Mubarak, the State Security apparatus was dissolved, before being rebranded as the National Security apparatus, and reopened in March 2011. The apparatus is one of the ministry's most powerful institutions, since its role is to gather information and provide intelligence to all police forces. It is also responsible for monitoring terrorism and investigating defendants accused in politically-related cases. Abdel Ghaffar was previously the head of the apparatus, although since his appointment, several security breaches have taken place, including the assassination of the late prosecutor general Hisham Barakat and the bombing of the Qaliubiya security directorate. The apparatus managed to attack and arrest several alleged "terrorist cells" belonging to Ajnad Misr and Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis. Saturday's reshuffle comes weeks ahead of the anniversary of the 25 January Revolution, where anti-government protests are expected to take place.
