Hisham Ikhtiyar

Hisham Ikhtiyar (also known as Hisham Ahmad al-Ikhtiyar, Hisham al-Ikhtiyar, Hisham al Ikhtiyar, Hisham al Ikhteyar, Hisham Ikhteyar, Hisham Bakhtiyar, Hisham Ichtijar, and Hisham Bakhtiar). He was born in 1941 and lives in Maliki, Damascus in Syria.

Major General Hisham Ikhtiyar has been associated with significantly contributing to the Syrian Government's support for terrorist organizations, including Hezbollah, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). During his leadership of the Syrian Government's General Intelligence Directorate (GID), Ikhtiyar directed GID activities that significantly contributed to the Syrian Government's military and security presence in Lebanon.

Ikhtiyar has served as a senior advisor to Syrian President Bashar al-Asad. Ikhtiyar was the director of the GID from December 2001 until June 2005, when he was appointed by Asad to be director of Syria's Ba'ath Party Regional Command National Security Bureau (NSB).

As the central civilian intelligence service in Syria, the GID conducts surveillance of the Syrian population at large, directs foreign intelligence, and monitors activities in Lebanon.

The NSB coordinates the work of Syria's intelligence agencies, including the GID. The primary mission of the NSB is to formulate strategic political and security recommendations for President Asad.

During Ikhtiyar's tenure as GID director, the GID in Lebanon maintained active informant networks and carried out intelligence operations. Also during Ikhtiyar's tenure in 2004, PIJ was in regular contact with Syrian security organizations in order to secure logistical support. The GID under Ikhtiyar is believed to have provided logistical support to the PFLP-GC.