RIYADH — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has issued directives to set up a ministerial committee under the chairmanship of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, to restructure the Kingdom's intelligence agency and "define its powers accurately", Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said.

The directives were issued based on a recommendation of the Crown Prince, who in his capacity as the President of the Council of Political and Security Affairs, submitted to King Salman the recommendation on the urgent need to restructure the General Intelligence Presidency and update its regulations.

The proposal also called for the determination of its authority, defining the procedures and powers while also setting up its administrative and hierarchical sequence in order to ensure its proper functioning and determination of responsibilities.

The King ordered that the ministerial committee would be chaired by the Crown Prince and president of the Council of Political and Security Affairs. The members of the Council are: Prince Abdulaziz Bin Saud Bin Naif, minister of interior; Dr. Musaed Al-Aiban; Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf; minister of foreign affairs; president of General Intelligence and president of the State Security. The committee shall submit the results of its work within one month of its formation. — SPA