The Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia mourned today, Friday, the passing of His Excellency Lieutenant General Saeed bin Abdullah Al-Qahtani, Assistant Minister of Interior for Operations, who died after a long and distinguished career serving his country. The deceased was one of the most prominent security leaders who left a clear mark on the history of the Saudi security establishment for more than five decades.
Prayer and mourning time
According to the official statement, the funeral prayer for the deceased will be held at the King Khalid Mosque in Riyadh after the Asr prayer today, Friday, July 20, 1447 AH. Condolences will be received from men starting tomorrow, Saturday, from after the Asr prayer until the Isha prayer at the deceased's residence in the Al-Qayrawan neighborhood. We ask God Almighty to have mercy on him and grant him Paradise.
Half a century of service in security
Lieutenant General Saeed Al-Qahtani was more than just a security official; he was a cornerstone of the Saudi security apparatus. His career began after graduating from King Fahd Security College in 1390 AH (1970 CE) with the rank of lieutenant, after which he embarked on his distinguished career, rising through the ranks to leadership positions. His career was characterized by a combination of fieldwork and academic and administrative development, as he completed numerous specialized courses that honed his expertise and established him as a leading authority in security and criminal investigations.
Clear fingerprints in Hajj security and crimes
The deceased played a pivotal role in developing Hajj and Umrah security strategies, the most sensitive and complex aspect of security work in the Kingdom. From 1406 AH (1985/86 CE), he led the investigation units in the Holy Sites (Mina and Arafat), then served as Director of Criminal Security in the Holy Sites, culminating in his appointment as Assistant Commander of Hajj Security Forces for Criminal Security in 1414 AH (1993/94 CE). His plans contributed to raising security preparedness and developing crowd management mechanisms and procedures for handling criminal cases during peak seasons, thus enhancing the safety and security of the pilgrims.
Public Security Command and the Comprehensive Development Phase
His tenure as Director of Public Security, beginning in 1425 AH (2004/2005 CE), is considered one of the most significant periods in the history of the agency. This era witnessed a qualitative leap in the use of modern technologies and the modernization of organizational structures to address emerging security challenges. Prior to this, he served as Director of the Makkah Region Police in 1419 AH (1998/1999 CE) and Deputy Commander of the Hajj Security Force in 1423 AH (2002/2003 CE). He concluded his career with his appointment as Assistant Minister of the Interior for Operations in 1435 AH (2014/2015 CE), continuing his advisory and leadership role until his death. He left behind a legacy of highly qualified security personnel trained under his supervision and established a professional methodology for criminal investigation and crisis management.
