Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, widely recognized by his cognomen Turki al-Faisal, is a distinguished Saudi statesman and diplomat, boasting a lineage that can be traced back to the illustrious House of Saud. In his present capacity, he occupies the esteemed position of chairman of the King Faisal Foundation's Center for Research and Islamic Studies, a highly respected and renowned institution dedicated to promoting a profound comprehension of Islamic studies and research.
Prince Turki al-Faisal, a distinguished individual with a storied career, served as the director general of Al Mukhabarat Al 'Ammah, the intelligence agency of Saudi Arabia, from 1977 to 2001, a tenure of approximately twenty-four years. It was on September 1, 2001, that he relinquished his duties as director general, roughly ten days preceding the catastrophic events of September 11, 2001, during which a total of fourteen Saudi nationals, later revealed to be perpetrators of the heinous attacks, hijacked commercial American airliners, resulting in widespread devastation and loss of life.
After tendering his resignation from his esteemed position within the intelligence agency, Prince Turki embarked on a distinguished career in diplomacy, taking on the prestigious roles of ambassador to the Court of St. James's and the United States. These two postings, renowned for their profound impact on international relations, afforded Prince Turki the opportunity to leverage his exceptional skills and expertise to foster meaningful connections and cultivate mutually beneficial alliances between nations.