New chief for Syrian intelligence

The London-based al-Quds al-Arabi reported yesterday that Syrian President Hafez al-Assad has appointed Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Shaqa as new director-general of the intelligence general department.

Shaqa was appointed to succeed the ousted Lt. Gen Bahir Najjar who was fired from the same post four days earlier. The paper added that President al-Assad released a presidential decree appointing al-Shaqa on Saturday.