Saudi crown prince once kissed hand of royal relative who could face death
- King’s brother and nephew have reportedly been accused of treason and could face execution
- Arrests underline Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s tactic of unbalancing rivals ahead of ascension to the throne
The kingdom’s de facto ruler, who’s aggressively changed social norms despite possible backlash, has big plans to transform his country into a modern powerhouse. The arrests on treason allegations that could carry the death penalty – unprecedented against such senior relatives – suggest he’s not going to let anything get in his way, especially not his own family.
Authorities on Friday rounded up the brother and a nephew of Prince Mohammed’s father, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, on the grounds they were plotting a coup, according to a person familiar with the matter. The crackdown comes as the kingdom faces an economic downturn that could imperil progress on the prince’s ambitious plans.
“So much of what happens under MBS’s leadership is based on the element of surprise, of shifting balance, and claiming control,” said Karen Young, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington. “But the biggest threat to Saudi right now is the possibility of very low oil prices, back to 2015 or lower levels. This the crown prince will find harder to control.”
New information on Sunday from The New York Times on a connected arrest indicates that the scope of the round-up isn’t known. The Wall Street Journal reported that dozens of Interior Ministry officials, senior army officers and others suspected of supporting a coup attempt were also detained. Authorities later began releasing some of those questioned in the clampdown, the Journal reported separately on Sunday.
