Power struggle inside Egyptian intelligence agency favours Al-Sisi

The new Chief of Egypt’s Intelligence Agency, Abbas Kamel, has ousted seven senior officials fearing that they would work to undermine the efforts of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to stand for a new term in office, Thenewkhalij.org revealed on Friday.

The seven officers are said to have been allied with former intelligence boss Khalid Fawzi, who was ousted on 18 January for unknown reasons. However, it is believed that Fawzi and his ex-colleagues were accused of having links with the campaign of the former Egyptian Chief of Staff, Sami Anan, who has been imprisoned after announcing his plan to stand against Al-Sisi in the presidential election.

Kamel is said to be Al-Sisi’s “secret keeper” and the most loyal of senior officers in the Egyptian military. That seems to be why he has been entrusted to lead the Intelligence Agency so that the president’s back can be covered during the election.

He was the head of Al-Sisi’s office when the latter was Minister of Defence and he stayed in the position post-coup. Along with Al-Sisi, Kamel believes that Fawzi was responsible for the series of audio leaks through which he noted that he did not trust the Intelligence Agency.