Saudi Arabia arrests princes, ministers in sweeping purge

[Swordsmyth]

Saudi Arabia arrested 11 princes, including a prominent billionaire, and dozens of current and former ministers, reports said, in a sweeping crackdown as the kingdom's young crown prince consolidates power.Separately, the head of the Saudi National Guard, once a leading contender to the throne, as well as the navy chief and the economy minister were replaced in a series of high-profile sackings that sent shock waves in the kingdom.
The crackdown was reported immediately after a new anti-corruption commission, headed by powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was established by royal decree late Saturday.

More at: https://www.yahoo.com/news/saudi-ara...013310247.html

[devil21]

Well that's interesting.

https://apnews.com/cdf85905d9ce4c9cb...tedly-arrested

Al-Arabiya reported that the committee is looking into devastating and deadly floods that overwhelmed parts of the city of Jiddah in 2009 and is investigating the Saudi government’s response to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus that has killed several hundred people in the past few years.

BS excuse, of course.

[Swordsmyth]

An interesting take:

https://twitter.com/Imperator_Rex3/s...39400990113792

[timosman]

This actually might be a final blow to Hillary. She might be finally going down while Trump is out of the country.

[devil21]

Are the "arrested" officials/family also close US connections like Alwaleed is? Doesn't sound good for petrodollar...

[timosman]

Are the "arrested" officials/family also close US connections like Alwaleed is? Doesn't sound good for petrodollar...

No worries, the petrodollar will be doing just fine. I am looking forward the next 7 years of prolonged financial bubble.

[Swordsmyth]

Are the "arrested" officials/family also close US connections like Alwaleed is? Doesn't sound good for petrodollar...

That depends on who the "new boss" is really in league with.

[timosman]

That depends on who the "new boss" is really in league with.

The usual suspects from the god's chosen nation.

[timosman]

http://www.pacificpundit.com/2015/12...llary-clinton/

December 14, 2015

Alwaleed Bin Talal the Saudi Prince and News Corp/Fox News owner called Donald Trump a ‘disgrace’ and demanded he drop out of the 2016 race for daring to saying put a pause on Muslim immigrants until security issues can be worked out and we stop important jihadists. I guess it should come as no surprise that Alwaleed Bin Talal, the so called richest man in the world has donated over $1 million to the Clinton Foundation since 2001. That money of course is now being funnelled into Hillary Clinton’s campaign as she tries to avoid being prosecuted.

Saudi Fox News owner Alwaleed Bin Talal is quite the hypocrite himself. He looks like he has a pizza parlor cloth on his head. He comes from a country (Saudi Arabia) that have taken in exactly zero refugees out of security concerns..



Hey Bin-Talal. Stick to your own country’s issues. It’s a disgrace that woman can’t drive. How do you like that ‘prince’?

[timosman]

HRC - a cheap *****.

[timosman]

[RonPaulIsGreat]

Kingdom Holding Company Chairman Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal was interviewed on CNBC today where he discussed a plethora of political and financial topics. The one that appears to be capturing the most attention is his comments on Bitcoin, or cryptocurrency in general, as he stated, “I just don’t believe this Bitcoin thing.”

The Prince went on to describe Bitcoin as Enron-like, referencing one of the most famous financial frauds of all time. “Enron in the making.” said the Prince.

He went on to criticize Bitcoin as it is unregulated and not under the control of any governmental agencies such as the Federal Reserve. Of course, this lack of government control is part of the global appeal of Bitcoin.

“I am in agreement with JP Morgan, said Prince Alwaleed. Referencing Jamie Dimon’s famous comment where he labeled Bitcoin a fraud.


Don't $#@! with us, or you get taken out!!One down... a 1000 to go..

[Raginfridus]

Kingdom Holding Company Chairman Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal was interviewed on CNBC today where he discussed a plethora of political and financial topics. The one that appears to be capturing the most attention is his comments on Bitcoin, or cryptocurrency in general, as he stated, “I just don’t believe this Bitcoin thing.”

The Prince went on to describe Bitcoin as Enron-like, referencing one of the most famous financial frauds of all time. “Enron in the making.” said the Prince.

He went on to criticize Bitcoin as it is unregulated and not under the control of any governmental agencies such as the Federal Reserve. Of course, this lack of government control is part of the global appeal of Bitcoin.

“I am in agreement with JP Morgan, said Prince Alwaleed. Referencing Jamie Dimon’s famous comment where he labeled Bitcoin a fraud.


Don't $#@! with us, or you get taken out!!One down... a 1000 to go..

Is bin Talal the same prince who claims to want a liberal Arabia, or was that Prince arrested?

[Swordsmyth]

Is bin Talal the same prince who claims to want a liberal Arabia, or was that Prince arrested?

No, MBS is the heir apparent behind these arrests and the one who claims to want a "moderate" KSA.

[Swordsmyth]

Osama Bin Laden’s Brother Arrested In Saudi Crackdown

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-05/osama-bin-laden%E2%80%99s-brother-arrested-saudi-crackdown

[Swordsmyth]

More bad news for the freshly arrested royalty emerged on Sunday, when Saudi officials said the bank accounts of those arrested in the crackdown will be frozen.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-1...shocking-purge

[Raginfridus]

Thanks for the clarification. It can be difficult remembering all these royal houses and telling clans apart. I know they get to wear white, but they should fly their clan colors too. Be a lot easier tell the reds and blues apart.

More bad news for the freshly arrested royalty emerged on Sunday, when Saudi officials said the bank accounts of those arrested in the crackdown will be frozen.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-1...shocking-purge

Thats what Trump needs to do with the CIA, NSA, and FBI chairs - freeze their assets, even if they're depositing wealth with family. Then give them the optional pardon and walk of shame, or dredge their departments for corruption and conspiracy even if the crimes are thirty years old and they can only tried as accessory.

[timosman]

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/05/alwa...onnection.html

It can be hard to keep up with the headlines flying out of Saudi Arabia.

Several members of the royal family and important Saudi businessmen were suddenly and unexpectedly arrested in a broad roundup over the weekend. And the president of the United States is dashing off late-night tweets, trying to get the Kingdom to bestow a tremendous, highly anticipated stock offering to Wall Street.

Here's the background:

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal

Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal is one of the most internationally famous members of the Saudi royal family — but that doesn't necessarily make him popular at home. In fact, reports indicate he was arrested over the weekend along with other top Saudis in a supposed anti-corruption crackdown.


^{Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.}

Bin Talal is a billionaire investor who runs Kingdom Holdings and owns large stakes in companies like Twitter and News Corp. He comments regularly on Western television, speaking to CNBC just in October about the future of bitcoin and electric vehicles.

The billionaire is U.S.-educated and a philanthropist: In 2015, Bin Talal announced he would donate his entire fortune to help build a "better world of tolerance, acceptance, equality and opportunity for all."

Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman

Although Saudi officialdom is characterizing the weekend's arrests as part of a fight against corruption, many see the surprise detentions as a power play by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

The prince, 32, has made a meteoric rise from relative obscurity to his father King Salman's direct heir and top advisor. He is overseeing the anti-corruption push, which was announced just a few hours before the first arrests were made.


^{Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman (2nd L) on April 19, 2017 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.}

Bin Salman leads the Kingdom's "Vision 2030" and the related "National Transformation Plan" — a program aimed at diversifying the Saudi economy beyond oil production. He is believed to have played a key role in Riyadh's decision to isolate Qatar.

"This is the latest act of concentration of power in Saudi," said Hasnain Malik, global head of equity research at investment bank Exotix Capital, adding that "as unprecedented and controversial as it may be, this centralisation might also be a necessary condition for pushing the austerity and transformation agenda" Bin Salman is overseeing.

In June, Saudi Arabia removed then-crown prince Muhammad Bin Nayef from his role and replaced him with Bin Salman.

That move immediately made the target on Bin Salman's back even bigger, and could have precipitated an intra-family power struggle.

Prior roles for Bin Salman include both defense minister and deputy crown prince, and he was earlier this year credited with a "huge success" after President Donald Trump made a decision to visit Saudi Arabia.

How do they connect to Trump?

Trump has ties to both the Crown Prince Bin Salman and the billionaire investor Bin Talal.

In addition to having likely orchestrated Trump's trip to Saudi Arabia, Bin Salman has reportedly developed a relationship with White House advisor Jared Kushner — the husband of the president's daughter and another 30-something man who has ridden family connections to the center of the world stage.

In fact, Kushner made a secretive trip to Saudi Arabia last week — just days before Bin Salman's sweeping set of arrests.


^{President Donald Trump meets with Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, in the Oval Office at the White House, March 14, 2017 in Washington, DC.}

As for Bin Talal, he and the president go back at least to the 1990s.

Between 1991 and 1995, Bin Talal came to the rescue of Trump, whose real estate empire was in financial trouble. Bin Talal purchased a yacht from the New York real estate mogul and was part of a group that helped take the city's floundering Plaza Hotel off Trump's hands.

But things have not been amicable between the two billionaires of late.

In 2015, Bin Talal bashed Trump for his rhetoric during the presidential campaign, and even called for him to drop out.

"You are a disgrace not only to the GOP but to all America," he said in a Twitter post. "Withdraw from the U.S presidential race as you will never win."

Trump responded: "Dopey Prince @Alwaleed_Talal wants to control our U.S. politicians with daddy's money. Can't do it when I get elected. #Trump2016"

How does this connect to Saudi Aramco?

The United States has many reasons to be interested in Saudi Arabia, including its oil and the central role it plays in Middle East politics, but the president has in the last two days zeroed in on something more specific: a win for Wall Street.

Trump called for the Kingdom to have Saudi Aramco, its state oil company, list shares on a U.S. stock exchange. That IPO is expected to be the biggest in history, and it has had exchanges around the world scrambling to land it.

Trump said over the weekend in a Twitter post that he hopes the IPO will go to the New York Stock Exchange. He then followed up, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that the Saudi king had told him "they will consider using U.S. exchanges."

[Raginfridus]

So its more accurate to ascribe World Leader to Prince bin Salman. He apparently plays to win, no matter the odds, and everybody's courting him for his family's company to go public in their exchange.

I wonder if he's got the vision and the balls to trade stock in Asia instead.

[timosman]

So its more accurate to ascribe World Leader to Prince bin Salman. He apparently plays to win, no matter the odds, and everybody's courting him for his family's company to go public in their exchange.

I wonder if he's got the vision and the balls to trade stock in Asia instead.

Nah, the Chinese are not that easily manipulated plus they keep their mouths shut instead of blabbing and going on about their most intimate secrets to anybody who will listen. IOW, they would not be doing our bidding. The best plan is to feed the western knuckleheads false info so the Chinese intel gets confused.

[Swordsmyth]

Saudi Prince & Officials Killed in Helicopter Crash Near Yemen Border

https://www.infowars.com/report-saudi-prince-officials-killed-in-helicopter-crash-near-yemen-border/

[Swordsmyth]

Second Saudi Prince Confirmed Killed During Crackdown

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-06/second-saudi-prince-confirmed-killed-during-crackdown

[Swordsmyth]

Saudi Arabia Is About To Confiscate $33 Billion From Four Of Its Richest People

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-06/saudi-arabia-about-confiscate-33-billion-four-its-richest-people

[phill4paul]

President Trump on Monday gave a vote of confidence to the leadership of Saudi Arabia amid a royal family purge that has rocked the Middle East.

“I have great confidence in King Salman and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, they know exactly what they are doing,” Trump tweeted while traveling in Asia. “Some of those they are harshly treating have been ‘milking’ their country for years!”

http://thehill.com/homenews/administ...id-royal-purge

[Swordsmyth]

Saudi Purge Goes Nuclear: Over 1,200 Bank Accounts Frozen

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-07/saudi-purge-goes-nuclear-over-1200-bank-accounts-frozen

[Swordsmyth]

Houthis offer Saudi princes political asylum in Yemen

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/11/houthis-offer-saudi-princes-political-asylum-yemen-171107171600790.html


Saudi government insist prince is 'alive and well' after claims he was killed in firefight while resisting arrest as part of kingdom's anti-corruption purge

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5058061/Saudi-prince-killed-firefight-resisting-arrest.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1 490

[timosman]

Saudi Arabia Is About To Confiscate $33 Billion From Four Of Its Richest People

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-06/saudi-arabia-about-confiscate-33-billion-four-its-richest-people

Great comment:

The U.S. should copy the Saudis. Maybe a 50% wealth tax for anyone have more than a billion dollars. Say it's for the widows, orphans, refugees, diversity, and combatting global warming.

[Swordsmyth]

Coincidence?

Bin Laden's Son Calls on Followers to Rise in Rebellion

Osama bin Laden's son, Hamza, is calling for followers to "rise in rebellion ... against the agents of the Americans" and "to incite the masses ... until the preparations are complete & the masses are ready for an uprising."

More at: https://www.voanews.com/amp/bin-lade...n/4105230.html

[Swordsmyth]

Arrested Saudi tycoon faces fraud claim in English courts

https://www.yahoo.com/news/arrested-saudi-tycoon-faces-fraud-175905762.html


Saudi Arabia says corruption probe detainees will face trial

https://www.yahoo.com/news/saudi-king-swears-ministers-replacing-those-detained-125741117.html

[bunklocoempire]

Ducks Lining Up: Saudi, Israeli, US Moves On Iran, Lebanon
written by daniel mcadams tuesday november 7, 2017