Supreme Defence Council (Bahrain)

The Supreme Defense Council (SDC) (Arabic:مجلس الدفاع الأعلى) is Bahrain's highest defense authority responsible for making highest level of decisions regarding defense and security. It consist of 14 members, all of whom are drawn from the Al Khalifa ruling family.[1]

It is headed by the King, who is also the Supreme Commander of Bahrain Defense Force (BDF) and includes: the Crown Prince (king's eldest son), the Prime Minister (king's uncle), the Royal Court Minister and ten senior officials from the Al Khalifa family[2] such as the Commander-in-Chief of BDF, and the heads of certain government agencies, such as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Interior, Minister of Defence and Director of the National Security Agency (NSA).[3]: 16 

Meetings are usually held at Al-Sakhir Palace.[4]

  1. ^ Staff writer. "BCHR:Nabeel Rajab's participation in congress breifing [sic] Religious Freedom for Shi'a in Bahrain". Bahrain Centre for Human Rights. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
  2. ^ Staff writer (9 March 2009). "Bahrain: Dangerous Statistics and Facts about the National Security Apparatus". Bahrain Centre for Human Rights. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
  3. ^ Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (PDF) (Report). Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry. 23 November 2011.
  4. ^ Bahrain News Agency: King Chiars Supreme Defence Council meeting, 27 February 2011, Retrieved 4 March 2012