Participants and Biographies

Imad bin Mohamada Al-Taf (Saudi Arabia) is affiliated to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs based in Riyadh.

Thahir Al-Tarawneh (Jordan) is a retired Major General in the Jordanian Armed Forces. He is currently directing the strategy program at the Jordanian National Defense College. General Al-Tarawneh has been involved in many leadership roles in the Jordanian Armed Forces, and his service has taken him to the former Yugoslavia as a member of the United Nations peacekeeping force. He taught at many of the Armed Forces’ schools and was in charge of the teaching staff at the Intelligence School. In addition, General Al-Tarawneh has participated in most courses dealing with intelligence and security at the various schools of the Jordanian Armed Forces. His interest in strategy brought him to Washington, DC, where he attended seminars on North Africa and South Asia. General Al-Tarawneh was also a military attaché in London. He holds a B.S. in Military Science from Mu’ta University in Jordan, and another B.S. in Military Science from the University of Balochistan, Pakistan. He holds an M.S. in Military Science from Mu’ta University and a second degree in Administration and Strategy from Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan.

Abdul Rahman Al-Thaqafi (Saudi Arabia) is affiliated to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs based in Riyadh.

Ali Obaid Al Tunaiji (United Arab Emirates) is a Lieutenant Colonel currently the director of the Civil Defense Directorate in Fujairah. He has received training in police studies and disaster management in the UAE, the United States, Egypt, and the Czech Republic. He holds a license in legal and police sciences.

Rashad Muhammad Al-Tourah (Jordan) is a First Lieutenant in the Jordanian Gendarmerie. He is currently working with the security communications department of the Gendarmerie. Lieutenant Al-Tourah has received training in a variety of fields including special forces and paratrooper instruction. In addition, he has taken courses advanced martial arts courses as well as courses on self-defense at Mu’ta University. Lieutenant Al-Tourah speaks French, English and is a proficient computer technician. He holds a degree in Law.

Bahjat Mohammad Al-Ulaimat (Jordan) is Head of Power Generation Planning at the 61 National Electric Power Company. He holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from Belqa’ University, Jordan. Currently working in preparing specialized studies relating to energy demand, expansion of electricity generation activities as well as economic analysis for electrical power generation projects.

Milagros Alvarez-Verdugo (Spain) is an Associate Professor of International Law and EU Law at the University of Barcelona. In the past, Dr. Alvarez-Verdugo served as Visiting Scholar at Cornell University (academic year 2004/2005), and Harvard University (Fall 2005), as well as Visiting Professor at the University of Puerto Rico’s Law School (2004 and 2008). Her research interests focus on the European integration process, European defense and security policy, transatlantic relations, and international peace and security. Dr. Alvarez-Verdugo has published many articles in Spanish and English, including ones entitled: “Disarmament,” “Comparing US and EU Strategies Against Weapons of Mass Destruction: Some Legal Consequences” and “The Enlargement of the European Union and the European Security and Defense Policy.” She holds a degree in Advanced European Studies from the College of Europe as well as a PhD in Law from the University of Barcelona.

Khalid Hussein Al-Walidi (Jordan) is head of the Department of Network Planning at the National Electric Power Company. Khalid works in preparing expansion plans for the electrical power grid. He holds a degree in Electrical Engineering from Russia.

Afash Awad Al-Zaban (Jordan) is a Lieutenant Colonel and Analysis Officer at the National Center for Security and Crisis Management. He holds a Master’s degree in Criminal Psychology.

Msa’ed bin Faisal Al-Zahrani (Saudi Arabia) is a Lieutenant Colonel with a background in engineering.

Ameen Muhammad Al-Zeitawy (Jordan) is a Major in the Jordanian Gendarmerie. Currently, he oversees the Maintenance Department of the Jordanian Gendarmerie. Major Al-Zeitawy has received instruction in a variety of fields, including paratrooper training, military exercise, and first infantry weapons. He has served as a member of peacekeeping forces in Bosnia and, recently, in Haiti. In addition, Major Al-Zeitawy has an interest in the private sector and received extensive training in companies such as Honda, Ford, Microsoft, and UBC. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Aziz Al-Zuhairy (Iraq) serves in the Iraqi government and is an industrial chemist. Currently, he researches oil modified alkyd resins for paint and studies the resins’ chemical, physical and physiomechanical properties. He has a patent from the Iraqi Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control for the oil modified alkyd resins he produces. Mr. Al-Zuhairy regularly participates in local and international conferences on chemistry and the environment. He holds a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. in Chemistry from Baghdad University. Mr. Al-Zuhairy is married and has four sons.

Mohammad Awamleh (Jordan) is affiliated with the Jordanian Interior Ministry.

Nabeel Muhammad Arabiyat (Jordan) is the director of the Royal Directorate for Participants Biographies 62 Environmental Protection at the Jordanian Public Defense Ministry. Prior to this role, he served as director of the Department of Supply, the Department of Procurement, the Department of Planning and Management, and the Department of Maintenance. Mr. Arabiyat has received training at home and abroad in countries such as Germany, France, China, and Australia. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Iai, Romania.

Hani Bin-Huwaiden (United Arab Emirates) is affiliated to the UAE Ministry of Defense.

Nader Ayed Braik (Kuwait) currently serves as a First Lieutenant in the Kuwaiti National Guard. He is the commander of chemical disinfection in the Chemical Defense Unit of the National Guard. First Lieutenant Braik has received instruction in a variety of fields, including infantry training for platoon commanders and resource management. In addition, he has received training on radioactive security in Kuwait and abroad. The Kuwaiti Interior Ministry has instructed 1st Lt. Braik on the handling of WMD. Nader holds a degree in Chemistry and Biology from Kuwait University, he is married and has three children.

Wyn Bowen (UK) is a Professor of Non-Proliferation & International Security and Director of the Centre for Science and Security Studies in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London. Previously he was a Deputy Director of the International Policy Institute at King’s and Professor of International Security in the Defence Studies Department of King’s which is located at the UK Joint Services Command and Staff College. Wyn Bowen was previously a Senior Research Assosciate in the Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies (1995-97). He has served as a weapons inspector with the UN Special Commission, a consultant to the International Atomic Energy Agency and a Specialist Advisor to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs and Quadripatite Committees. Wyn Bowen received his PhD (1997) and MA (1992) from the University of Birmingham, and a BA (Hons) from the University of Hull (1991). He has written widely on nuclear and other security issues.

Musa S. Braizat (Palestine) is the director of internationa organizations department at the Jordanian Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Dr. Braizat was an Ambassador at the Jordanian Permanent Representative to the UN, Geneva. He is a specialist on the politics of the Arab world and has held academic and public positions in the Middle East

Amelia Broodryk “nee du Rand” (South Africa) is a researcher within the Institute for Security Studies’ Arms Management Programme in Pretoria. Her current work focuses on “Africa’s Development and the Threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction”. Recent publications include: “A Brief Guide to The Pelindaba Treaty. Towards Entry-into-Force of the African Nuclear- Weapon-Free Zone Treaty” by Noel Stott, Amelia du Rand and Jean du Preez, October 2008; “Ship Without Sails: Chemical and Biological Weapons Control in Africa”, ISS Paper 171, November 2008. Amelia takes a particular interest in the impact that the recent resurgence in nuclear power (and hence uranium exploration and mining) as a means to mitigate climate change and solve Africa’s energy crisis may have on efforts to control the proliferation of nuclear weapon technology. Amelia has a post-graduate degree in International Relations.

Natividad Carpintero-Santamaría (Spain) is a professor at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, where she also serves as General Secretary of the Institute of Nuclear Fusion. She conducts research in the areas of CRBN proliferation and terrorism. Dr. Carpintero-Santamaría has published seventy-five papers, as well as authored the book, The Atom Bomb: The Human Factor during Second World War (Ediciones Díaz de Santos, 2007). She obtained a diploma in High Studies of Defence from the Centre for High National Defence Studies (CESEDEN) and 63 is currently a corresponding member of the European Academy of Sciences. In 1991 she was awarded the Alfonso XIII Prize of History of Applied Sciences by the Spanish Academy of Sciences and in 1994 she got the Doctorate Award granted by the Complutense University of Madrid to the best Ph.D of the academic year 1991-92. She is fluent in English, French, Spanish and Italian.