Editing Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud (section)

==Director General of Saudi Intelligence Agency (2012–2014)==
Bandar was appointed director general of [[Al Mukhabarat Al A'amah|Saudi Intelligence Agency]] on 19 July 2012 replacing [[Muqrin bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud|Muqrin bin Abdulaziz]].<ref name=resaw>{{cite web|title=His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Sultan|url=http://www.saudiembassy.net/about/princebandar.aspx|publisher=Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington DC|access-date=21 July 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921155740/http://www.saudiembassy.net/about/princebandar.aspx|archive-date=21 September 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Knickmeyer |first=Ellen |date=20 July 2012 |title=Saudi Appointment Suggests Bigger Regional Ambitions |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390444097904577537311469944198?mod=googlenews_wsj |access-date=20 July 2012 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref> Although no official reason for the appointment was provided,<ref>{{cite news|title=Saudi king names ex-U.S. envoy as intelligence chief|url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/19/world/meast/saudi-arabia-intelligence-chief/index.html|access-date=20 July 2012|work=CNN|date=19 July 2012}}</ref> the appointment occurred after growing tension between [[Sunni Islam|Sunnis]] and [[Shiites]] in the [[Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia|Eastern Province]] of Saudi Arabia.<ref>{{cite web|title=KSA: New Director for Spy Agency|url=http://me-confidential.com/5125-ksa-new-director-for-spy-agency.html|work=Middle East Confidential|access-date=20 July 2012|date=20 July 2012}}</ref> It was also considered as a move of Saudi Arabia to display more aggressive foreign policy given the regional challenges that comes from Iran and [[Syria]].<ref name=upi>{{cite news|title=New Saudi spymaster marks shift in policy|url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2012/07/26/New-Saudi-spymaster-marks-shift-in-policy/UPI-59941343325566/|access-date=26 July 2012|work=United Press International|date=26 July 2012}}</ref> Prince Bandar is also a member of the Military Service Council.<ref>{{cite news|title=Saudi- Authority to monitor audiovisual media
|url=http://www.menafn.com/menafn/1093553820/Saudi-Authority-to-monitor-audiovisual-media|access-date=4 September 2012|work=MEFAFN|date=4 September 2012|agency=Arab News|url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814005012/http://www.menafn.com/menafn/1093553820/Saudi-Authority-to-monitor-audiovisual-media|archive-date=14 August 2014}}</ref>

Bandar organised the visit of [[Manaf Tlass]], who defected from Syria on 6 July 2012, to Saudi Arabia in the last week of July 2012.<ref>{{cite news |author=Solomon |first=Jay |author2=Dagher |first2=Sam |date=26 July 2012 |title=Key Role Floated for Syrian Defector |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390443931404577549261903962128?mod=googlenews_wsj |access-date=26 July 2012 |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]}}</ref>

In 2013 Bandar said that the Saudis would "shift away" from the United States over Syrian and Iranian policy.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Bakr |first=Amena |author2=McDowell |first2=Angus |date=22 October 2013 |title=Saudi Arabia to 'shift away from the US' over Iran, Syria, intelligence chief says |url=http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/22/21077703-saudi-arabia-to-shift-away-from-the-us-over-iran-syria-intelligence-chief-says |access-date=22 October 2013 |work=NBC News |agency=Reuters}}</ref>

According to a number of articles, Bandar, allegedly confronted [[Vladimir Putin]] in a bid to break the deadlock over Syria. This included security of winter Olympics in [[Sochi]] if there is no accord. "I can give you a guarantee to protect the Winter Olympics next year. The Chechen groups that threaten the security of the games are controlled by us," he allegedly said.<ref>{{cite news |author=Evans-Pritchard |first=Ambrose |date=27 August 2013 |title=Saudis offer Russia secret oil deal if it drops Syria |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/10266957/Saudis-offer-Russia-secret-oil-deal-if-it-drops-Syria.html |access-date=3 November 2013 |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London}}</ref> Putin then rejected the proposal furiously by saying "we know that you have supported the Chechen terrorist groups for a decade. And that support, which you have frankly talked about just now, is completely incompatible with the common objectives of fighting global terrorism that you mentioned."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyhy.net/saudi-intelligence-chief-back-in-russia-to-discuss-syria-crisis-550h.htm|title=Saudi Intelligence Chief Back in Russia to Discuss Syria Crisis|work=Daily HY|date=5 December 2013|access-date=8 December 2013|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131209232325/http://www.dailyhy.net/saudi-intelligence-chief-back-in-russia-to-discuss-syria-crisis-550h.htm|archive-date=9 December 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Bandar had been tasked with managing Saudi policy in the [[Syrian Civil War]], but he was replaced in early 2014 by interior minister Prince [[Muhammad bin Nayef]]. Bandar took a confrontational tone with the United States and was called a "problem" privately by U.S. Secretary of State [[John Kerry]]. However, Bandar had also been struggling with poor health stemming from the 1977 plane crash, leading to speculation that this was why he was replaced.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Knickmeyer |first=Ellen |author2=Entous |first2=Adam |date=19 February 2014 |title=Saudi Arabia Replaces Key Official in Effort to Arm Syria Rebels |url=https://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303775504579392942097203608 |access-date=25 February 2014 |work=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref>

Iraqi Prime Minister [[Nouri al-Maliki]] reportedly complained about secret Saudi Arabian support for militant groups saying, "They are attacking Iraq, through Syria and in a direct way, and they announced war on Iraq, as they announced it on Syria, and unfortunately it is on a sectarian and political basis."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1092028/saudi-arabia-and-qatar-in-war-on-iraq-maliki|title=Saudi Arabia and Qatar in war on Iraq|work=Dawn|access-date=15 March 2014}}</ref>

===Assassination rumors===
In July 2012, the rumours of his assassination were reported by [[DEBKAfile]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Saudi silence on intelligence chief Bandar's fate denotes panic|publisher=DEBKAfile|url=http://www.debka.com/article/22225/Saudi-silence-on-intelligence-chief-Bandar%E2%80%99s-fate-denotes-panic|access-date=31 January 2013|archive-date=2 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402132743/http://www.debka.com/article/22225/Saudi-silence-on-intelligence-chief-Bandar%E2%80%99s-fate-denotes-panic|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Morales |first=Eric |date=31 July 2012 |title=Report: Saudi intelligence chief murdered by Syrian hit men |url=http://digitaljournal.com/article/329747 |journal=Digital Journal}}</ref> and later published in ''[[Tehran Times]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-07-29 |title=U.S. reopens probe into bribery claims against Saudi prince |url=https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/401372/U-S-reopens-probe-into-bribery-claims-against-Saudi-prince |access-date=5 August 2012 |website=Tehran Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Carroll |first=Rick |date=1 August 2012 |title=Commentary: Rumors fly of Bandar's death |url=http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20120801/NEWS/120809998 |url-status=dead |journal=Aspen Times |location=Aspen, Colorado |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120909210749/http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20120801/NEWS/120809998 |archive-date=9 September 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Gardner-Smith |first=Brent |date=24 August 2012 |title=Bandar still alive, insiders say |url=http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20120824/NEWS/120829914 |url-status=dead |journal=Aspen Times |location=Aspen |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128160756/http://www.aspentimes.com/article/20120824/NEWS/120829914 |archive-date=28 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Prince Bandar Bin Sultan: Is The Saudi Spy Chief Dead Or Alive?|journal=International Business Times|date=31 July 2012|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/prince-bandar-bin-sultan-saudi-spy-chief-dead-or-alive-734482}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author=Kalman |first=Aaron |date=30 July 2012 |title=Pro-Assad websites claim Syria has killed Saudi intelligence chief, to avenge Damascus bombing |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/pro-assad-websites-claim-syria-has-killed-saudi-intelligence-chief-to-avenge-damascus-bombing/ |journal=The Times of Israel}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Black |first=Ian |author-link=Ian Black (journalist) |date=10 October 2012 |title=Prince Bandar bin Sultan – profile |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/10/prince-bandar-bin-sultan |newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Walker |first=Richard |date=14 August 2012 |title=Was Saudi Arabia top spy assassinated? |url=http://americanfreepress.net/?p=5568 |work=American Free Press |agency=Agence France-Presse}}</ref> This news was denied by ''[[Arab News]]''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.arabnews.com/thierry-meyssan-and-prince-bandar-bin-sultan|title=Thierry Meyssan and Prince Bandar bin Sultan|date=4 August 2012|website=Arab News}}</ref> and the journalist [[David Ignatius]].<ref>{{Cite news |author=Ignatius |first=David |author-link=David Ignatius |date=5 August 2012 |title=Is Saudi Arabia on the edge? |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/david-ignatius-is-saudi-arabia-on-the-edge/2012/08/05/6758c1e0-dd91-11e1-8e43-4a3c4375504a_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Kapoor |first=Talal |date=8 August 2012 |title=The Return of Bandar bin Sultan |url=http://www.datarabia.com/royals/viewCommentary.do?id=91959 |access-date=9 August 2012 |work=Datarabia |format=Commentary}}</ref>

In August 2013, ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' reported that Bandar had been appointed to lead Saudi Arabia's efforts to topple Syrian President [[Bashar al-Assad]]. According these reports Bandar acted as the lynchpin in arming the jihadis fighting Assad. The US Central Intelligence Agency considered this a sign of how serious Saudi Arabia was about this aim.<ref name=adnoma/> The ''Journal'' reported that in late 2012 Saudi intelligence, under Bandar's direction, began efforts to convince the US that the Assad government was using chemical weapons.

Bandar was also described as "jetting from covert command centers near the Syrian front lines to the Élysée Palace in Paris and the Kremlin in Moscow, seeking to undermine the Assad regime." He had a simple message: my kingdom has the money needed to defeat Assad—and we're ready to use it.<ref name="adnoma">{{cite news |author=Entous |first=Adam |author2=Malas |first2=Nour |author3=Coker |first3=Margaret |date=25 August 2013 |title=A Veteran Saudi Power Player Works To Build Support to Topple Assad |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323423804579024452583045962 |access-date=30 August 2013 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref>

On 15 April 2014, Bandar was removed from his position "at his own request" according to the announcement in the Saudi state media.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/15/saudi-arabia-replaces-intelligence-chief|title=Saudi Arabia replaces intelligence chief|agency=Agence France-Presse|newspaper=The Guardian|date=15 April 2014|access-date=17 April 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=16 April 2014 |title=Saudi intelligence chief Bandar bin Sultan Removed |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-27047856 |work=BBC News}}</ref> He remained as secretary general of the National Security Council until it was abolished in January 2015.