Saudi committee defends arrests
Says evidence of graft by princes was discovered
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabia’s newly established committee overseeing the arrests of top princes and officials said Monday that evidence of corruption has been uncovered among “influential officials and senior executives” and that trials will soon be held, the first tacit government acknowledgement of the seniority of those under investigation.
Skeptics of the sweep say it is punishing select figures, some of whom were potential rivals or possible critics of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who heads the committee formed late Saturday shortly before the arrests.
King Salman conducted state business as usual, swearing in new officials to take over from a powerful prince and former minister believed to be detained in the sweep that has shocked the country and upended longstanding traditions within the ruling family.
Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, who for the past four years had led the National Guard, and Adel Fakeih, who was minister of economy since April, were both reportedly arrested as part of the purported anti-corruption probe led by the king’s son, the crown prince.
Eleven princes and 38 officials and businessmen are reportedly being held at five-star hotels across Riyadh.
Attorney General Saud al-mojeb warned in a statement that trials will be held “in a timely and open manner” and that the probe is “merely the start of a vital process to root out corruption.”
A member of the committee, Khalid al-mehaisen, described the investigations as “a very difficult task when it involves influential officials and senior executives.” He said preliminary investigations were happening over the past three years.
“The evidence of transgressions and financial mismanagement uncovered recently points to widespread corruption in a number of cases,” he said in a statement.
The king on Monday was also pictured meeting Lebanon’s outgoing prime minister, Saad Hariri, who unexpectedly resigned during a trip to Saudi Arabia.
Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah, Hariri’s top political rival at home, alleged on Sunday that Saudi Arabia had forced Hariri to resign amid the deepening Saudi-iran rivalry.