Three senior members of the Saudi royal family have been arrested and detained, presumably on the orders of Crown Prince Mohammaed bin Salman.
The royals detained Friday are the younger brother of King Salman, Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz, former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef and his younger brother Prince Nawaf bin Nayef.
According to the New York Times, the detentions were confirmed by a member of the royal family and a person close to the clan as well as a former senior American official. The Saudi government has not officially announced the detentions.
The senior officials were reportedly detained as part of the Crown Prince’s efforts to consolidate power as his 84-year-old father continues to grow frail.
“The crown prince could be seeking to lock down potential challengers to his own succession before his father dies or abdicates the throne.
“None of the princes he detained, however, had given any indication that they intended to challenge Crown Prince Mohammed,” the paper reported.
Sources say it was not immediately known where the detainees were being kept, if they would be charged to court or if they would regain their freedom anytime soon.
Recall that in 2017, Crown Prince Mohammed ordered the detention of dozens of Saudi royals and businessmen at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh allegedly for corruption. But insiders said the move was nothing but part of efforts to consolidate his power, having recently being named Crown Prince by his father, King Salman.
The detainees, including Middle East’s richest man Alwaleed bin Talal, were forced to turn over billions of dollars worth of private wealth to the state in exchange for their freedom.
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