Crackdown on +++ Corruption in the Bloody Wonderland – Take 2
Moar Research on the Unfolding Treachery in SA:
*Note: the arrest warrants accuse King Salman's Brother and Nephew "of conducting contacts with foreign powers, including the Americans and others, to carry out a coup d'etat".
Report from the Guardian in last hour:
"A purge of princes and aides continued across Saudi Arabia on Saturday…
Prince Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz, the only full brother of the monarch, King Salman, and Mohammed bin Nayef, who was heir to the throne until being ousted by Prince Mohammed, face treason charges…
Exiled dissidents suggested Prince Mohammed’s announcement masked an imminent push to take power from his father. The claims were given impetus by royal court insiders, one of whom suggested through a source that the moves against the two princes were made as a preventative measure, following a sudden deterioration in the King’s health.
However, those claims were firmly denied by officials inside Saudi Arabia. King Salman, is believed to have signed the warrants that justified his brother’s arrest…
Prince Ahmed’s status as a brother of the king, and Mohammed bin Nayef’s former role as heir, had been thought to afford them both protection.
A former senior diplomat, well versed in Saudi palace intrigue, said the latest purge appeared to be part of a systematic approach to eliminating dissent as Prince Mohammed’s ascension drew near.
Using an Arabic term, “Bani”, to suggest “tribe”, he said: “So he’s gone for the Bani Abdullah, Bani Fahd and Bani Sultan. Now it’s the Bani Nayef. There’s still a son of Saud bin Nayef [Mohammed bin Nayef’s brother] at the General Intelligence Presidency. He’ll have to go, too. This is like Baghdad in the 1960s.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/07/saudi-crown-prince-in-new-purge-with-treason-arrests
The following article states that 8-20 princes (only 4 names announced as of now) have been arrested in stage II of the +++ purge:
"Up to 20 princes have been arrested for allegedly being part of a coup to overthrow the crown prince, also known as MBS… Four names so far are known to MEE. They are Prince Ahmed; his son Prince Nayef bin Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, Head of Land Forces Intelligence and Security Authority; the former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef; and his half brother Nawaf.Ahmed's son is the highest ranking member of the Saudi armed forces known to be arrested so far, MEE sources confirmed.
Moments after the arrests, MBS ordered the kingdom's princes to tweet their loyalty to him. Three of them have already done so.
According to a regional source cited by Reuters, MBS "accused them [the princes] of conducting contacts with foreign powers, including the Americans and others, to carry out a coup d'etat". Reuters quoted sources as saying King Salman himself signed the arrest warrants. They claimed his mental state was good.
It has bigger implications for the stability of the kingdom than both the purge of up to 500 members of Saudi Arabia's business elite in the Ritz Carlton on alleged corruption charges on 4 November 2017, and the state ordered murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul a year later.
Bin Nayef was himself a trusted member of the counter-terrorism alliance spearheaded by the CIA and the Pentagon. Both US and British intelligence had sought and acquired guarantees from MbS that Prince Ahmed would not be arrested on his return to the kingdom from London in October 2018. "https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/exclusive-least-20-princes-detained-mass-purge-saudi-crown-prince
Flashback Article from MintPress 11/18 states that the coup to be led by Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz was considered imminent:
Prince Ahmad bin Abdulaziz is reportedly hoping to oust his 33-year-old nephew in the wake of an allegedly state-sanctioned murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
MbS has virtual control over Saudi Arabia after a June 2017 shakeup in which King Salman removed Muhammad bin Nayef as heir apparent.
The septuagenarian prince, an open critic of bin Salman (MBS), has traveled with security guarantees given by US and UK officials… Prince Ahmad has reportedly been meeting with other members of the Saudi royal family living outside the kingdom, along with “figures inside the kingdom” who have encouraged him to usurp his nephew, “there are three senior princes who support Prince Ahmad’s move,” who remain unnamed to protect their security. According to Saudi dissident Prince Khalid Bin Farhan Al Saud, “The coming period will witness a coup against the king and the crown prince,” said Prince Khalid.
https://www.mintpressnews.com/an-imminent-coup-crown-princes-uncle-returns-to-saudi-arabia-to-oust-toxic-mbs/251328/