General Intelligence Department (Jordan)

Jordanian General Intelligence Department, (GID) or Mukhabarat (Arabic: دائرة المخابرات العامة) is the primary civilian foreign and domestic intelligence agency of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. It functions as both a foreign and domestic intelligence agency as well as a law enforcement force within the country. The GID is reportedly one of the most important and professional intelligence agencies in the Middle East and the world; the agency has been instrumental in foiling several terrorist attacks around the world.

Before the establishment of the General Intelligence Directorate, intelligence and security work in Jordan was handled by the General Investigation Department from 1952 to 1964. The transition was formalized under Act No. 24 of 1964. Since its establishment, the GID has remained the principal institution in Jordan's intelligence and security system.

The Director of the General Intelligence Directorate is appointed by royal decree on the basis of a decision by the Council of Ministers. The agency forms part of Jordan's state security structure. Its officers are recruited according to specified educational and security requirements, including university-level qualifications and vetting procedures.

Under its legal framework, the GID is responsible for matters related to Jordan's internal and external security. Its work includes intelligence collection, counterintelligence, and other security functions assigned through the executive authorities. The agency also maintains cooperation with foreign intelligence services, including the CIA and MI6, and is active beyond Jordan in regional intelligence matters.