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Crown Prince Sultan

Crown Prince Sultan

Saudi Princes

Arabia

20050907

-Lurid Crime Tales-

Colorado Prisons Chief Murder May Have Saudi Prisoner Connection

2013-03-22

The Master Religion throwing its weight around. [Fox News Denver] Investigators looking into the shooting death of the director of the Colorado Department of Corrections will look at the possibility that Tom Clements' murder may be tied to the recent decision not to grant a transfer of a Saudi man in a Colorado prison. Homaidan Al-Turki was convicted in 2006 of unlawful sexual contact by use of force and other charges. Prosecutors said he sexually assaulted a housekeeper and kept her as a virtual slave for four years. His conviction angered Saudi officials. They have long-standing anger management issues... The U.S. State Department sent Colorado Attorney General John Suthers to Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in their national face... to meet with King Abdullah, Crown Prince Sultan and Al-Turki's family. Last week, Colorado prison officials denied a request from the Saudi Arabian government to release Al-Turki to his home country to serve his life sentence. Prosecutors opposed Al-Turki's transfer fearing he would be released upon return to Saudi Arabia. Celments was the one who decided to deny the transfer. He wrote in a letter to Al-Turki that because Al-Turki refused to undergo sex offender treatment in prison, "I have decided not to support your request for transfer to Saudi Arabia at this time," reported the News Agency that Dare Not be Named. Sources have told FOX31 Denver, Al-Turki has come from an influential Saudi family that has long pressured Colorado to release him. A source familiar with the investigation who refused to be identified by name because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the case, said the Al-Turki connection right now is the main working theory behind Clements death.

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Arabia

Saudi king set to name Prince Nayef as heir

2011-10-27

[Dawn] Soddy Arabia's King Abdullah was expected to name Interior Minister Prince Nayef as his heir after a mourning period for Crown Prince Sultan ends on Thursday, formalising a smooth succession in the world's biggest oil-producer. Nayef has already run the kingdom on a daily basis for extended periods in recent years, during absences of both King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan, who died on Saturday. Given the king's age and health problems, the new crown prince is likely to assume an even more active role immediately. An Allegiance Council of the ruling family, set up by the king in 2006, is expected to approve a new crown prince after mourning for Sultan ends on Thursday. It can step in if anything befalls the ruler before an heir is named. "There is an institutionalised mechanism in place," said Hossein Shobokshi, a Saudi columnist. "The Crown Prince had been deteriorating for some time so they haven't been caught by surprise. It should be extremely orderly. "We had been waiting for this development and things will be announced from a protocol point of view after the mourning period is over." At stake is the stability of a security ally of the United States which wields great influence over Sunni Mohammedans through its guardianship of Islam's holiest sites in Mecca and Medina. The kingdom stood opposed to the Arab Spring uprisings that caused instability in neighbouring Yemen and Bahrain, fearing they might create openings for major regional rival Shia Mohammedan Iran. Abdullah accepted the condolences of visiting leaders from his seat at Tuesday's funeral, wearing a surgical mask barely a week after a back operation. Among mourners who greeted him after a prayer recital was Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi. A US delegation led by Vice President Joe Foreign Policy Whiz Kid Biden The former Senator-for-Life from Delaware, an example of the kind of top-notch Washington intellect to be found in the World's Greatest Deliberative Body... is expected in Riyadh on Thursday. Nayef was later shown on television meeting the king of Jordan and brass hats from the United Arab Emirates. Nayef, born in 1933, is sometimes described by Saudi liberals as an anti-reform conservative who is likely to take a cautious approach to social and political change, while emphasising national security in foreign policy. He was quoted soon after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States as doubting that any of his compatriots had been involved. It turned out that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis. Some diplomats and analysts say the man who has served as interior minister since 1975 may show a more pragmatic side as crown prince, and eventually as king. Some 60 per cent of Saudis are under the age of 30 and, with Internet penetration of 44 per cent according to internetworldstats.com, are increasingly outward looking. King Abdullah's cautious reforms were opposed by conservative holy mans and have aimed at creating more private sector jobs, reducing the role of religion in education and improving the prospects of Saudi women.

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Arabia

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Pegs Out

2011-10-23

Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the heir apparent to the Saudi throne, has died in New York undergoing treatment for an illness, raising questions over the succession in the oil-rich kingdom. I'm sure the rules of succession in a gerontocracy are pretty intricate. Crown Prince Sultan, who also served as defense minister as well as being second in line to the throne, went to the U.S. in June for medical tests. He was believed to be 86 and will be buried Tuesday. He lied about his age. He was 192. Although Sultan, who was the half brother of the ailing King of the Arabians, Sheikh of the Burning Sands Abdullah, ... Fifth out of 37 sons of King Abdulaziz to ascend to the throne. He is, after his half-brothers Bandar and Musa'id, the third eldest of the living sons of Abdul Aziz ibn Saud. Abdullah's mother is from the Rashid clan, longtime rivals of the Saud. He has 6 sons and 15 daughters and about $20 billion. His youngest son is just seven years old... was long seen as a likely future king, Regardless of how aged he was... his health had deteriorated sharply in recent years, leading to long periods of absence from Soddy Arabia for an illness that analysts believed was cancer. Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a brother who is thought to be 77, is seen as Sultan's most likely successor as crown prince, putting him next in line to King Abdullah. "King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz mourns the death of his brother and his Crown Prince Sultan who died at dawn this morning Saturday outside the kingdom following an illness," the royal court said in a statement released a few hours later in Riyadh. King Abdullah, who also has health issues, underwent a back operation last week, the third in less than a year, to retighten the binding connector around the third vertebra. He left the hospital in Riyadh to continue medial treatment at a private clinic in his palace but it is still unclear how long the king will take to recover. Limited information about the king's ailment has previously fanned speculation of a more serious problem with the health of the ruler of the Arab world's largest economy. Now Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who is thought to be 77, is seen as Sultan's most likely successor as crown prince, putting him next in line to King Abdullah. In order for Prince Nayef to become the crown prince, a special committee set up by the royal family five years ago to regulate the kingdom's opaque process of succession will have to reach an agreement on his elevation. The so-called Allegiance Council, representing every branch of the dynasty founded by King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud last century, has never been tested before. It must now meet to approve King Abdullah's nomination of a new crown prince, setting the direction of the country for years to come. That prospect worries more liberal Saudis who say his record as interior minister since 1975 involved blocking some reforms and overseeing crackdowns on political dissidents. Other analysts, however, say the nature of his job as interior minister demanded an authoritarian approach. They believe he might show a different face if he ever becomes king. Unlike in most kingdoms, the Saudi monarchy does not pass from father to son, but along a line of brothers born to Ibn Saud, who founded Soddy Arabia in 1934. Only 19 of the Saudi patriarch's 45 sons are still alive, and Prince Nayef is the most senior of these who is active in politics. The council is almost certain to approve Prince Nayef, say analysts, yet its decision is to some extent a trial run for a more difficult deliberation in the future, when it must anoint one of Ibn Saud's grandchildren as crown prince for the first time. Prince "Nayef will be announced the crown prince most likely this week," said a Saudi official, who asked not to be identified. "It is a natural move which everyone expects." Meanwhile, ...back at the mall, Clarissa spent the day shopping for new underwear. Tonight was going to be a special occasion... the death of Sultan has opened another important vacancy: that of defense and aviation minister, which the late prince held for almost 50 years, overseeing a series of massive armament programs. In this role, Prince Sultan was a vital link in the series of alliances that bound Soddy Arabia to Western nations over decades, using weaponry purchases to solidify relations with the U.S., U.K. and La Belle France. Most analysts believe the job will be inherited by his son, Prince Khaled bin Sultan Al Saud, who has been deputy defense minister since 2001 and commanded Saudi forces during the 1991 Gulf War. President Barack B.O. Obama offered condolences to the kingdom, calling the crown prince a "valued friend" who helped cement ties between the allies. "He was a strong supporter of the deep and enduring partnership between our two countries forged almost seven decades ago," Obama said in a statement.

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Arabia

Nation mourns Prince Sultan

2011-10-23

That's what they're saying when the religious police are around, anyway... JEDDAH: Crown Prince Sultan, a really old buzzard deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, died Saturday outside the Kingdom following a prolonged illness, the Royal Court announced. He was 80. The late prince's funeral will take place Tuesday. The rest of this reads like a press release with all the usual foreign condolences, etc.

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Arabia

Saudi crown prince death opens succession issue

2011-10-22

...and good deals on used ice machines. The heir to the Saudi throne, Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, died undergoing treatment for illness in New York. The death of the prince, who was in his 80s, opens questions about the succession in the critical, oil-rich U.S. ally. Sultan was the younger half-brother of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, who is has also been ailing and underwent back surgery last week. The most likely candidate to replace Sultan as Abdullah's successor is Prince Nayef, the powerful interior minister in charge of internal security forces, who is said to be closer to Islamic conservatives than the king. The king gave Nayef -- also his half-brother -- the implicit nod in 2009 by naming him second deputy prime minister, traditionally the post of the second in line to the throne.

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Arabia

Saudi crown prince dead

2011-10-22

Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has died, a State Department official said on Friday. Crown Prince Sultan, 81, was the deputy minister of aviation and defense, and was one of the key figures in Saudi Arabia. He has had various medical issues in recent years. In 2009, he was in New York for surgery for an undisclosed illness. At the time, there was speculation that the illness was serious. He has also flown to Morocco for additional medical treatments.

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Arabia

Saudi crown prince has surgery in US: consulate

2011-07-07

[Emirates 24/7] Soddy Arabia's ailing Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz ... who is approximately 108 years old... has undergone an operation in a New York hospital, an official at the kingdom's consulate in the US metropolis told AFP on Wednesday. What? Not the Cleveland Clinic? "He is in New York. He has been operated on," said the official, who declined to be named discussing private matters of the royal family and did not provide further details. Sultan, who is believed to be in his eighties and has served as defense minister for the past five decades, has been receiving medical treatment for the last two years. The nature of his illness officially has never been revealed, although analysts and diplomats believe it to be cancer. The official Saudi Press Agency reported in mid-June that the crown prince would make a private visit to the United States, during which he would undergo a medical examination. Sultan, who is the half-brother of King Abdullah, has spent several lengthy stays outside Soddy Arabia in recent years, returning from Morocco to the kingdom, a key US ally, last November shortly before the king left to the United States for treatment of a back ailment. The 86-year-old monarch's advanced age and the health of the crown prince have highlighted the delicate issue of succession in the kingdom, a major player in Middle East politics and the world's number one oil supplier. Prince Nayef, Sultan's full brother and considered second in line to the throne, has also had unspecified treatment in the past 20 months. Now in his mid-70s, Nayef has been interior minister for 35 years.

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Arabia

Shoura chief calls on citizens to respect Kingdom's values

2011-03-09

[Arab News] The Shoura Council stressed on Monday the importance of security in the Kingdom and requested citizens not to be misled by people who try to insinuate activities against the country and religion. "Every citizen should cooperate with the concerned authorities to maintain security and stability throughout the Kingdom," Shoura Council Chairman Abdullah Al-Asheikh said on Monday. He requested people not to pay attention to the claims of people who try to disrupt normality by organizing demonstrations, processions and sit-in protests that are against law. "The cultural and traditional values of the Kingdom must be respected at all costs," the chairman said, adding that these values are cherished and nurtured by the Kingdom's leadership, which is firmly based on Islamic law. Endorsing the statements made by Islamic scholars who have condemned any form of demonstrations in the Kingdom, Al-Asheikh told citizens to be guided according to the principles of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah. He also warned people not to fall prey to deviant people who do not know the basic values of Islam. He also stressed that the decision of Islamic scholars is based on the Book of Allah and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He said that the Kingdom maintains an open-door policy in which citizens are allowed to express their opinions directly to the leadership or to the concerned parties to redress their grievances. He also made a special request to the officials of the public sector to cooperate with the leadership in implementing social and economic reforms. "Providing employment opportunities and granting housing loans should be passed onto the beneficiaries without any undue delay," he said. He also prayed to Almighty Allah to help preserve the pristine glory of Islam, maintain security in the country and help its leader King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan, minister of defense and aviation, to take the Kingdom to greater heights.

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Arabia

There's An Unconfirmed Report Going Around That Saudi King Abdullah Has Died

2011-02-10

This just hit the internet, and we don't know if it's true. It's on IslamTimes, and frankly it doesn't read credibly because it ties his death to discussions about Egypt. Needless to say, were it true, it would only further concerns about Mideast stability at an already fragile time. Oil prices originally jumped on the news, but then that faded, perhaps indicating the market's disbelief in the rumor. The full report: Saudi Arabia's 86-year-old King Abdullah was discharged from a New York City hospital in good health after going through two back operations in December 2010. The king delegated the management of the affairs of the world’s largest oil supplier to his half-brother, Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz, during his absence. King Abdullah talked with Obama about the situation in Egypt over the phone yesterday. Obama and the King got into a heated debate about their opinions of what Hosni Mubarak should do. After the phone call sources stated that King Abdullah was furious and then suffered a sudden heart attack. Doctors ran to his resuce but were unable to save him. He was pronounced dead, but his death was not reported due to the sensative conditions that exist in the region. The Saudi Arabian government will reject this claim; but the ball is in their court to prove that he is alive.

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Arabia

Saudi king arrives in Morocco after surgery in US

2011-01-23

RIYADH - Saudi Arabia’s elderly King Abdullah arrived in Morocco on Saturday to convalesce after spending almost two months in New York for medical treatment, Saudi state media said. The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said Abdullah, aged about 87, arrived in Casablanca where he often spends holidays, but gave no date for when he would return to the kingdom. He left Riyadh on Nov. 22 and underwent two operations in New York after a blood clot complicated a slipped disc. Blood clot? Could be in the leg (deep vein thrombosis) or lung (pulmonary embolus). But two months? Sounds like he's not doing so well. SPA did not publish a picture of King Abdullah, who arrived in New York in a wheelchair but was shown on state television walking after leaving hospital on Dec. 22. Based on the most recent picture issued by SPA on Jan. 11, he appeared to have lost weight. Riyadh has been keen to show its allies there will be no power vacuum as health problems affect its octogenarian rulers but the king’s recent medical troubles have aroused concern over whether a reformist like himself or a conservative would succeed him. A frail Crown Prince Sultan, who has health problems of his own, returned from holiday in Morocco to govern the kingdom in Abdullah’s absence. With both Abdullah and Sultan in their 80s, speculation has arisen that Interior Minister Prince Nayef, a conservative who is a relatively youthful 76, could take over the running of the affairs of state in the future.

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Africa North

Al-Qaeda hand seen in Egypt attack

2011-01-02

At least 21 people were killed and 79 injured after a terrorist bombing ripped through a crowd of Coptic worshippers as they were leaving New Year's Mass at Saints Church in Alexandria in the first hour of the New Year. Initial reports blamed a car bomb, but Egypt's Interior Ministry later said the attack was more likely the job of a suicide bomber who mixed with the crowd before detonation. The attack drew worldwide condemnation. Custodian of the Two Holy King Abdullah, who is convalescing in New York following a back surgery, telephoned Mubarak and said Saudi Arabia would stand by Egypt in its fight against terrorism. The king had earlier in the day sent a message of condolences to Mubarak, expressing his deep sorrow over the attack. Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, sent a similar message to Mubarak. The 57-member Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council also denounced the attack. OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu urged the Egyptians to strengthen their unity to defeat terrorism. The Muslim Brotherhood condemned the attack. "There are people who want this country to be unstable, and all fingers point to outside hands being behind this incident," senior group member Mohamed El-Katatni said. Mena Adel, a priest at Saints Church, said the service had just ended, and some worshippers were leaving the building when the bomb went off about a half hour after midnight. Police initially said the blast came from an explosives-packed vehicle parked about four meters from the church. But the Interior Ministry said later there was no sign the epicenter of the blast was from a car. Around six severely damaged vehicles remained outside the church, but there was little sign of a crater that major car bombs usually cause. Alexandria Gov. Adel Labib blamed Al-Qaeda, pointing to recent threats by the terror group to attack Christians in Egypt. Both car bombs and suicide attackers are hallmark of Al-Qaeda attacks. Soon after the explosion, angry Christians clashed with police. Some broke into a nearby mosque, sparking clashes with Muslims. Police fired tear gas to break up the clashes. But in the afternoon, new violence erupted in a street between the church and the affiliated Saints Hospital. Some of the young protesters wielded kitchen knives. Muslim organizations inside and outside Egypt have denounced the attack. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the head of Al-Azhar, expressed his deep sorrow over the attack and conveyed his condolences to the families of victims. “This is a criminal act prohibited by Islam as our Islamic faith has made it a duty upon Muslims to protect churches like they protect our mosques,” he said. “This terrorist act not only targets Christians but all Egyptians,” he added. General Prosecutor Abdelmajeed Mahmoud said the government has launched an investigation. “We’re awaiting technical reports,” he said, adding that Egyptian security forces have been quick in the past to detect people behind previous attacks. A number of Egyptians working in Saudi Arabia denounced the bombing. “This is a deliberate attempt to destabilize the country,” said Shakir Abdul Aziz, a journalist working for Al-Bilad Arabic daily. Abdul Aziz did not rule out the role of Mossad behind the attack as it came following the arrest of a spy of the Israeli intelligence agency in Egypt. Dr. Ashraf Al-Seesi, who works in a Jeddah medical center, blamed foreign forces for the attack, adding that Israel wanted to drive a wedge between Muslims and Christians to put pressure on the country. Tharwat Samir, a Christian photographer, said most of the previous attacks against Christians took place in Saeed, mainly because of tribal tensions and ignorance. “The attack in Alexandria, which is known for its religious tolerance and where Muslims and Christians live without any friction, could have been perpetrated by forces who wanted to create division among the Egyptians,” Samir said. He referred to a similar terrorist attack in Saeed in January 2010 in which seven Christians and Muslims were killed. “Western lobbyists who wanted to add oil to fire cited the incident as evidence for the oppression of Christians in the country. Actually, the fighting took place because of political differences. Relations between Muslims and Christians in Egypt are very strong. These firecrackers will not break that relationship,” Samir added.

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Arabia

'Coup may happen in Saudi Arabia'

2010-12-19

[Iran Press TV] A political analyst has said that a coup could happen in Soddy Arabia, with the health issues of the elderly monarch providing an opportunity for the plotters. "It is possible that a coup could happen, and I see nothing to prevent that from happening," Dr. Kamal Helbawy of the Center for the Study of Terrorism said in an interview with Press TV aired on Saturday. "Both in Qatar and Oman in the past, the sons of the kings stole the leadership from their fathers, and I think there is a rift in the house of Saud," he added. Soddy Arabia's King Abdullah was hospitalized in the United States on November 22 for a debilitating herniated disc, complicated by a hematoma that put pressure on his spine. Saudi Health Minister Abdullah al-Rabeeah said the state of the monarch's health was "very reassuring" following the first operation on his disc. Earlier in the month, US surgeons performed another operation on the monarch's back, which was reported to have gone smoothly. "With his old age and sickness, there is suspicion about succession. There has been tension in the family for several decades. I believe there is a political and religious crisis," Helbawy said. King Abdullah has left his half-brother, Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz, who is thought to be suffering from cancer, at the helm. The prolonged convalescence of the Saudi ruler has raised doubts about King Abdullah's succession.

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