Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit (C) is escorted by members of Hamas and Egyptian mediators on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing (Photo: Reuters) Egypt's new-appointed Spy Chief was in charge of prisoners' exchange file
President Mohamed Morsi has forced Egypt's Chief of Intelligence Mourad Mowafi into early retirement Wednesday afternoon in the premier's first major reshuffle of Egypt's security forces, as the situation deteriorates in the Sinai region following a series of armed attacks on military-police checkpoints across the peninsula.
Morsi selected Major General Mohamed Shehata as acting intelligence chief in the interim period. In addition, Morsi appointed former ambassador Mohamed Fathi Refaa El-Tahtawi as chief of presidential staff and Mohamed Osama to head up the security directorate in Cairo.
In the press conference, the president also announced that he has dismissed the governor of North Sinai, Abdel-Wahab Mabrouk.
As the president is unable to change the members of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), SCAF head Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi fired Major General Hamdy Badeen from his position as the commander of Egypt's military police. Badeen's replacement has yet to be announced.
There was also a major reorganisation of the Ministry of Interior police posts. According to state-run Nile News TV channel, Morsi has appointed Major General Hamed Zaky as the head of Republican Guards and Major General Maged Mostafa Kamel as the head of Egypt's Central Security Forces.
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