Saudi Purge Is Just the Start
Saudi Arabia is in the news. Between November 4 and 5, a series of events shook the nation. First, a ballistic missile launched from war-torn Yemen nearly reached the Saudi capital, Riyadh, before being shot down. Second, Lebanon’s Saad al-Hariri oddly announced his resignation as prime minister while on a trip to Saudi Arabia. Third, Prince Mansour bin Muqrin, the deputy governor of Asir province, was killed in a helicopter crash near the southern border with Yemen.
But the big ticket item is a purge of high-profile Saudis who have been arrested. The list of detainees includes dozens of royal family figures, ministers and businessmen. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a billionaire with stakes in Citigroup and Twitter, is reported to be among them. According to Reuters, the allegations against him include money laundering, bribery and extortion.
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