Press Release
Coalition Provisional Authority
http://www.iraqcoalition.org

For Immediate Release
Contact: Shane Wolfe/J. Pepper Bryars
Tel: +1-914-822-4935/+1-914-360-3801
April 9, 2004

Governing Councilmen Assume Posts as Minister of Interior and National Security Advisor

Baghdad, Iraq - Ambassador L. Paul Bremer III announced the appointments of a new Minister of Interior and a new National Security Advisor during a meeting Friday morning in Baghdad.

Following consultation with the Iraqi Governing Council, Ambassador Bremer named Mr. Samir Shakir Mahmood Sumaiday as the new Minister of Interior and Dr. Mowaffak Al Rubaie as the new National Security Advisor.

"Mr. Sumaiday and Dr. Rubaie have worked diligently during the past few months to bring security to Iraq, and they've spent decades bringing democracy to Iraq. And under their leadership, Iraqis will have both," Ambassador Bremer said.

Both gentlemen were members of Iraq's Governing Council.

As Interior Minister, Mr. Sumaiday oversees the Iraqi domestic security forces such as the Iraqi Police Service, Department of Border Enforcement and the Facilities Protection Service. Mr. Sumaiday has been involved in opposition to the former Ba'athist regime for many years.

In the role of National Security Advisor, Dr. Rubaie is the primary advisor to the head of government and the Ministerial Committee for National Security on national security matters, and manages and supervises the National Security Advisory Staff. Dr. Rubaie is tasked with providing balanced, impartial advice to the head of government and the MCNS, along with facilitating coordination among the ministries and agencies charged with national security-related responsibilities.