Saudi prince freed amid corruption investigation

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Billionaire Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who had been held in a luxury hotel since November in a wide-reaching anticorruption probe that has been shrouded in secrecy and intrigue, was released Saturday, according to three of his associates.

The anti-corruption campaign could still be far from over, with more arrests possible and aftershocks yet to materialize.

The 62-year-old prince had been the most wellknown and prominent detainee at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, since Nov. 4, when his much younger cousin Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the surprise raids against prominent princes, businessmen, ministers and military officers. Elite forces were sent to arrest them in their homes, and they were subjected to weeks of questioning that would result in many turning over significant financial assets.

Prince Alwaleed’s associates, who include a relative, told The Associated Press his terms of release were not immediately known. They said he had returned to his palatial home in Riyadh’s al-Fakhariya neighborhood. The associates spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, and there was no official comment on his release.

Prince Alwaleed was among at least 11 princes detained in the probe, including two sons of the late King Abdullah. The government, however, has not named those detained nor discussed the allegations against them.

Hours before the arrests were made, the late King Abdullah’s son, Prince Miteb, was ousted from his post overseeing the National Guard, a powerful force that oversees key aspects of internal security and the security of the royal family. He was seen as a potential contender for the throne until his arrest.

Critics say the crown prince, who is King Salman’s son and heir, has used the purported anti-corruption campaign to sideline potential rivals and seize control of influential businesses run by many of the scions detained in the probe. The arrests also raised concerns over increasing totalitarianism, along with disarray and resentment from within a royal family whose unity has been the bedrock of the kingdom.