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Secrets of the Saudi Royal Family

20/20 ^ | 10-15-04 Posted on Fri Oct 15 23:03:55 2004 by Jimmyclyde

Secrets of the Saudi Royal Family Critics Call Saudi Rule Hypocritical and Corrupt By BRIAN ROSS and JILL RACKMILL N E W Y O R K, Oct. 15, 2004 -- Oct. 15, 2004 - A Saudi prince moved roughly two tons of cocaine from Colombia to an airport outside Paris, using his diplomatic status and a royal family 727 jet, U.S. and French law enforcement authorities told ABC News. "It doesn't happen without him," said Tom Raffanello of the Drug Enforcement Agency in Miami. "He is the key coconspirator. He's the straw that stirs the drink, he made it happen. No plane, no dope. Dope stays in Colombia." Prince Nayef bin Fawwaz Al Shalaan is under indictment by U.S. and French authorities, but living outside the reach of American law in Saudi Arabia, according to Raffanello. The U.S. and Saudi Arabia have no extradition treaty. A trial for the prince's alleged co-conspirators is scheduled to begin next month in a federal court in Miami. "He's a fugitive in the United States. He's a fugitive in violation of federal narcotics law," Raffanello said. Prince Nayef bin Fawwaz Al Shalaan claimed in an Arab newspaper that he was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Saudi government, stating he was seeking investors in a deal for plastic pipe, not smuggling cocaine. "That's an
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alibi, he moved dope," said Rafanello. The DEA speculated that terrorism was a possible motive, but there is no formal terrorism charge in the indictment. "Later on in the investigation, we came to find out that he would use some or all of the profit to fund terrorism, through whatever indices he was using to do it," Raffanello said. The prince has an earlier drug charge -- he was indicted in Mississippi on narcotics charges in 1984, and remains a fugitive in that case as well, according to the DEA. Saudi law is harsh with regard to drug trafficking; three accused drug smugglers were reported to have been beheaded just last month, according to the Saudi Interior Ministry. But the influence of the royal family can be formidable. Fabrice Monti, a former French police investigator, said the powerful Saudi interior minister, Prince Nayef bin Abdel Aziz, actually threatened to cancel certain business deals with the French government if the narcotics investigation of a fellow prince continued. "The Saudi government acted as one to set up a protective barrier between the prince and French justice and threatened to not sign a very important and lucrative contract in the works for a very long time," said Fabrice Monti, who has written a book on the subject. The Saudi government declined repeated requests for comment on the case. The drug case is an extreme example of what critics decry as a morally corrupt and hypocritical Saudi royal family. This past summer, far from the political unrest and terrorist threats, far from a faltering economy where one out of three men is unemployed, far from a country under strict Islamic law, some of the richest and most powerful Saudi royals were buying jewels, flying on private jets, and dining at the finest restaurants on the French Riviera.
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"When I see this I think of the saying that they fiddle while Rome burns," said Dr. Mai Yamani, a former Saudi native now living in exile in London, and research fellow with the Middle East Programme at the Royal Institute of International Affairs. Until he became too sick to travel, Saudi King Fahd would arrive every August in his personal 747 aircraft with a huge entourage to spend the summer at a palace he had built outside Marbella, Spain, used, at most, just one month a year. The south of France is also a popular vacation destination for the Saudi royal family, including Saudi Prince al Walid bin Talal, the king's nephew, who has summered in Cannes for the past 30 years. "We're just vacationing like any other vacationers," said Saudi Prince al Walid, 47, from on board his 281-foot yacht, "The Kingdom," in Cannes this past August. Formerly owned by Donald Trump, the yacht comes complete with its own disco studio and helicopter. "I am with my daughter and my son here. They're jet skiing right now. You know, it's like any other family." According to clerks in the luxury stores in Cannes, one Saudi prince bought a $1.2 million emerald and diamond necklace, while a Saudi princess purchased a $10,000 Christian Lacroix outfit with pink and purple raccoon boas. "The princes are sleeping. They are spending in Europe," Yamani said. "This spending is happening while the terrorists on the Web sites are threatening guerrilla war." The first woman from her country to earn a doctorate from Oxford, Yamani, now living in exile in London, saw firsthand the lavish lifestyle of the Saudi royal family when her father, Sheik Yamani, served as oil minister of Saudi Arabia in the 1970s. "Conspicuous consumption. All the waste and the style of life that they are living," she said. "And I think of the anger and the rage of those young men, the Saudis, who are reading about all this and discussing it on the Web sites." Perhaps the most immediate threat to the Saudi royal family is that of Osama bin Laden, who comes from a wealthy Saudi family and has urged his al Qaeda followers to end the royal family's reign.
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In a 1998 interview with John Miller of ABC News, bin Laden said, "They sin and do not value God's gift. We predict their destruction and dispersal." In May and November of last year alone, suicide bombings at housing compounds in the capital city of Riyadh accounted for more than 50 deaths. Recent months have seen a rash of Americans being kidnapped and subsequently killed in Saudi Arabia, shown in gruesome details in videos posted on the Web. Groups affiliated with al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attacks. Prince al Walid said he travels with a large group of bodyguards, but said he does not worry about bin Laden's threats. He also refuted charges that the royal family was ignoring a security crisis. "And I think that all indications that we're winning the war in Saudi Arabia against al Qaeda," he said. "This is not a crisis, these are issues that any country has to face." Described as the fifth richest man in the world at an estimated $22 billion net worth, Prince al Walid defended the riches of the Saudi royal family, as well as their spending habits. "Wealth is a blessing," he said. "You know if wealth is used properly, it is not abused but rather used, there's nothing wrong with that." But the royal family's jet set lifestyle lies in sharp contrast to the way most people live back in Saudi Arabia. Many young Saudi men with college degrees say finding a job is nearly impossible if you don't know the right people. And Yamani said the lack of recreational outlets for young people causes additional problems. There are no venues," she said. "There are no restaurants where they can sit as men and women, there are no cinemas. There're no clubs." Other critics take offense at what they say is the royal family's blatant mockery of the Islamic religion.
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"The royal family are not only not observing Muslims, actually they are enemies of Islam," said Dr. Saad al Faqih, a Saudi dissident living in London who heads the Movement for Islamic Reform In Arabia. "Not only squandering our money, but deceiving us, behaving with this hypocrisy, and destroying our religion, our identity, our social life." Al Faqih's group broadcasts via satellite into Saudi Arabia every night, denouncing the royal family. Last year al Faqih called for public demonstrations and an estimated 200 people took to the streets, the first time in memory such an event had taken place. Most of the participants were arrested. "Well you know the official position in Saudi Arabia is that public demonstrations are not allowed," said Prince al Walid, adding that he was indifferent to the issue. The Saudis have tried to block al Faqih's satellite transmissions and recently accused him of being part of a terrorist plot to assassinate members of the royal family. Al Faqih denied the accusations, but said, "Well, it's good to see them disappear. It's good to see them disappear." Prince al Walid insisted the royal family was beloved by its subjects. "The interaction, the relation between the Saudi royal family and the people I would say is further than ideal, it's utopian," he said. But Yamani described a different reality. "The royal family have alienated vast majorities of the Saudi people to whom they give their names," she said. "They know they are losing power." There are more than 5,000 princes in the royal family of Saudi Arabia and only a few are alleged to be involved in criminal activity. But the extent that such behavior is tolerated and covered up only strengthens the case of royal family critics. "And it makes me very sad because you're watching this behavior, and you're watching the decay, and these people are putting their head in the sand," Yamani said. "And waiting until the place burns."
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ABC News' Marni Lane, Maddy Sauer and Jessica Wang contributed to this report. Copyright 2004 ABC News Internet Ventures
TOPICS: Extended News ; News/Current Events KEYWORDS: houseofsaud

The Saudis are the biggest obstacle to peace in the middle east. Take the oil and leave these evil camel humpers to the sand and sun.
1 posted on Fri Oct 15 23:03:55 2004 by Jimmyclyde [ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies] To: Jimmyclyde

bump

2 posted on Fri Oct 15 23:04:21 2004 by Jimmyclyde (Dying ain't much of a living boy...) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] To: Jimmyclyde

More links about the house of saud... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1174986/posts http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1201717/posts http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1217159/posts http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1178332/posts
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3 posted on Fri Oct 15 23:09:27 2004 by Jimmyclyde (Dying ain't much of a living boy...) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies] To: Jimmyclyde

I`ve got no love for the Saudis, but even less for the MSM as of late, especially ABC. SeeBS are just a bunch of dottering old leftist honks who are going down with their sinking ship. ABC on the other hand... I`ll drop a thread in the next few days about these biased pric*#!

4 posted on Fri Oct 15 23:09:44 2004 by infidel29 (Before the political left, we were ALL right.) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] To: Jimmyclyde

I'm sure all families have problems - so to speak - and is it normal to judge a whole family by the actions of a few - is that what Americans do - ? As a norm - ? OBL came from a rich family - and those "poor" guys didn't mind taking his money and putting it to use for terrorism. As for those in England - who speak ill of others - do people really know which side of the issues they are really on How can anyone believe anything anymore that is written in the press - they are as political as the media we get on TV. Everything is divided - Everything is slanted according to a belief just the way I see it - Who is the good guy? Who is the bad guy? Why is S.A. and Kw. putting out more oil to make up for the tight market - ? Why is the market getting so tight? One reason? Two reasons? How much extra is China using - are they saving it up again? What about the rest of Europe?
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5 posted on Fri Oct 15 23:18:04 2004 by Pastnowfuturealpha [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] To: Jimmyclyde

And we all know how close Kerry is to the House of Saud. After all, they both claim descendency from 'profit' [deliberate misspelling] Mohammed, piss be upon him.

6 posted on Fri Oct 15 23:27:04 2004 by blanknoone (John Kerry, the Benedict Arnold candidate) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] To: Jimmyclyde

"..but living outside the reach of American law in Saudi Arabia," If the Saudis don't turn the bastard over....we should arm ANYONE attempting to dethrone and behead the bastards, and then if we can't "work" with the "new" regime, bring THEM down... I'm sick and tired of having thost arrogant sheetheads flaunt our laws and take our lives... Semper Fi
7 posted on Fri Oct 15 23:36:51 2004 by river rat (You may turn the other cheek...But I prefer to look into my enemy's vacant dead eyes.) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] To: Pastnowfuturealpha

Why is the market getting so tight?

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After limitted research of the net the biggest single reason that comes to light is not the Middle East. It appears to be in the refining process. We just don't have the means to keep up with demand. America is demanding more each year and other countries, China in particular, are increasing their demand ten-fold. There a couple of reasons for this. The refineries are becoming out of date and we just don't have enough of them. Whether good or bad, environmental activism is the excuse the oil companies are putting forth for the reason we are not building new refineries or updating obsolete facilities. Like I said this is limitted research but is being promoted by several economists. It is Rushie's number one rant on oil prices.
8 posted on Fri Oct 15 23:50:58 2004 by Allosaurs_r_us (Carnivores for Conservatives!) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies] To: Jimmyclyde

Tons on Saudi at www.sauduction.com "I summon my blue-eyed slaves anytime it pleases me. I command the Americans to send me their bravest soldiers to die for me. Anytime I clap my hands a stupid genie called the American ambassador appears to do my bidding. When the Americans die in my service their bodies are frozen in metal boxes by the US Embassy and American airplanes carry them away, as if they never existed. Truly, America is my favorite slave." King Fahd Bin Abdul-Aziz, Jeddeh 1993
9 posted on Fri Oct 15 23:59:51 2004 by USF [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] To: Allosaurs_r_us

Part of post: "Whether good or bad, environmental activism is the excuse the oil companies are putting forth for the reason we are not building new refineries or updating obsolete facilities. " If this is so - why isn't someone pushing this to the front - and getting more refineries - because this would be the
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"best" time to go over the "environmental activism" people -since we need resources to fight the war - Maybe if President Bush is elected - he will appoint Judges who see the wisdom of putting thing in the right order for once I am all for the environment - but that excuse is being used to put down the nation and making it more dependent on others - That is never good - Plus we need to get Congress to change things so that other resources can be developed - they listen too much to the big oil companies. I've heard more than once these enviro groups have been found to be doing stuff against the law to get areas closed off - and that most areas aren't really in danger like they claim - It's really hard to tell these days who to believe In the end - It is as if this nation has come to a standstill in developing anything - and it's sad to live through The 1970s should have been the last years of our being dependent on other nations for our resources - Our leaders let us down and we have done nothing about it -

10 posted on Sat Oct 16 00:10:17 2004 by Pastnowfuturealpha [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies] To: Pastnowfuturealpha

We must destroy the Left in this country by whatever means necessary, in order to reverse this self-destructive trend.

11 posted on Sat Oct 16 01:19:00 2004 by fire_eye (Socialism is the opiate of academia.) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies] To: Jimmyclyde

Many wealthy Middle Easteners are in Europe, or elsewhere, right now, because Ramadan begins today and they
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won't return home until Ramadan is over.

12 posted on Sat Oct 16 01:28:10 2004 by Siamese Princess [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] To: fire_eye

More people need to start paying attention to "who" is elected - and not go by just a name(Kennedy, Shum., McCain, Lott, Fr. - the new majority leader in the Senate and Has. - majority in house, Dash.,Clinton, etc) And lately, it's been only the rich who can even get on a ballot - that just isn't right - or - left - It's being controlled that way. WE really need to get the election process back - and wake up the rest of America With the major media and print news all controlled by the rich and powerful - the problem is going to be how to do that - and another problem - time is short Two XX is the way I see it - but maybe 9/11 did more than people realize - and there is a fire going already Never give up hope I guess Take care -

13 posted on Sat Oct 16 01:35:44 2004 by Pastnowfuturealpha [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies] To: fire_eye
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But the United States and Saudi Arabia have an "Eternal Friendship."

14 posted on Sat Oct 16 01:39:12 2004 by pete anderson [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies] To: Pastnowfuturealpha

I've heard more than once these enviro groups have been found to be doing stuff against the law to get areas closed off - and that most areas aren't really in danger like they claim - It's really hard to tell these days who to believe You pretty much get the idea. For instance I live in an area that desperately needs a hwy bi-pass around our downtown area. The Enviro's are doing there best to block this as it will change a couple of hundred yards of coastline on the lake that borders downtown. Problem is the coastline they refer to is nothing more than a mud-hole 8 months out of the year. Plus from the drawings we have seen it will actually improve the asthetics but these people think any change at all to the environment is raping our resources. This is the Enviro mindset. They tie things up in court until developers just give up and say screw you people we'll go somewhere else. A handful of idiots with backing from the liberal charities are dictating for the majority. One of these days we're going to open season on them and I will be first in line to buy a tag.
15 posted on Sat Oct 16 01:41:22 2004 by Allosaurs_r_us (Carnivores for Conservatives!) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies] To: Jimmyclyde

I thought it was well done. Could have been longer and more detailed. Now that Barbara is gone maybe 20/20 can do some decent stories.

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16 posted on Sat Oct 16 01:46:05 2004 by Arizona Carolyn [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] To: Jimmyclyde

These reports are garbage. The Royal family is our most loyal ally. These attempts to trash and weaken them is exactly what the Left and the media did to the Shah of Iran. Topple the stabilizing force of the House of Saud and Hell will rule the Mideast.
17 posted on Sat Oct 16 01:47:10 2004 by Deb (A Democrat Stole My GREEN Sweater!!!) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] To: Jimmyclyde

What about the women US citizens held *hostage* in Saudi Arabia by their fathers / husbands?

18 posted on Sat Oct 16 01:47:56 2004 by valkyrieanne (card-carrying South Park Republican) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies] To: Allosaurs_r_us

It would be a lot better to elect someone who will appoint Judges who will throw out their cases for what they are - as waste For example: We still have that one large area of clean burning coal tied up because of Clinton - in the meantime we buy the same kind of coal from nations that are in support of the terrorist. We end up paying the ones who would see this nation fall It's a mess open in browser PRO version
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just my thoughts - We need to clean House and Senate and get some Judges who have common sense - that will go a long way to getting things moving in the other direction in my opinion -

19 posted on Sat Oct 16 01:53:22 2004 by Pastnowfuturealpha [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies] To: infidel29; All

Make no mistake, this story was done to hurt Bush. This fits in very nicely with the Rat 527 ads and the Moore movie.

20 posted on Sat Oct 16 01:54:37 2004 by AmarilloMorning [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies] To: AmarilloMorning

No doubt. If W. can over come all of this plus the rampant voter fraud, I`m going to start calling him "L." instead. For "Lazarus" because it`ll be a FREAKIN` MIRACLE!

21 posted on Sat Oct 16 11:55:13 2004 by infidel29 (Before the political left, we were ALL right.) [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies] To: valkyrieanne

I agree. Add that to the issues I raised about Saudi slavery, and other abuses of women.
22 posted on Sat Oct 16 20:23:53 2004 by USF
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[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies] To: infidel29

You're right. It's really hard to appreciate how much help Kerry is getting from the MSM. Bush would be coasting to a landslide if the MSM's bias and the voter fraud weren't factors.

23 posted on Sat Oct 16 22:51:52 2004 by AmarilloMorning [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]
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