Is Prince Bone Saw At It Again?

The gruesome murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi last fall at the direction of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin "Bone Saw" Salman was news around the world for months, as the investigation into his murder and dismemberment led back to the Saudi royal family. One would think that the negative publicity would have tempered the Crown Prince's murderous tendencies. One would be wrong.

With the tacit support of the corrupt and compromised Trump regime, with son-in-law Jared "Mr. Ivanka Trump" Kushner acting as the main liaison with the Saudis, Bone Saw's government appears to be going after another vocal critic, Iyad El-Baghdadi, who is a staunch pro-democracy advocate against the repressive Saudi regime. In a fascinating move, as described in the Guardian, the CIA apparently warned El-Baghdadi, who has asylum in Norway, that there was a potential threat from Saudi Arabia:

"El-Baghdadi was alerted to the threat on 25 April, when Norwegian authorities arrived at his doorstep, took him to a secure location, and warned him he was in possible danger from an unspecified threat emanating from the kingdom.

The activist was told the threat had been passed on to Norwegian authorities by a foreign intelligence agency, which the Guardian has confirmed was the CIA.

“The way I understood it was, the Saudis have a crosshairs on me, but there is no idea of what they are going to do,” El-Baghdadi said in a phone interview with the Guardian."[snip]

El-Baghdadi said the possibility that the Saudi government was still seeking to silence or curtail activism outside its border underscored a growing issue facing Prince Mohammed, who is known as MBS: the explosion in the number of educated Saudis who are living outside the kingdom and becoming politically active.

“This is shaping up to be a long-term problem for MBS,” he said.

Bone Saw has a close relationship with Kushner, whom he once described as being in his pocket, apparently due to financial dealings involving Kushner's private business. This has obviously empowered Bone Saw to push the limits of his autocratic, extra-legal behavior:

"Critics and activists agree that the Trump administration’s continued support of Prince Mohammed, especially by Trump and his senior adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has sent a message that he is untouchable and will not be held accountable for the murder."

It's well and good that the CIA alerted the Norwegians about the threat to El-Baghdadi from the Saudis, but with Bone Saw's actions receiving cover from the Trump regime overall, it won't be the last time the Saudis try to crush dissent.

(photo: Bone Saw and his crown jewel)

Saudis Behaving Badly

The horrific stampede during the hajj in Saudi Arabia last week took the lives of over 700 pilgrims to Mecca.  But when it came time to assess responsibility, the government of Saudi Arabia's response was to blame it on "some pilgrims with African nationalities."  However, eyewitnesses report that the stampede was triggered by the closing of two routes to air-conditioned tents so as to allow "V.I.P. cars to pass." This from a country with one of the world's worst human rights records.

Closer to home, Saudi prince Majed Abdulaziz Al-Saud was arrested by Los Angeles police for allegedly forcing a woman to perform a sex act at his 22,000 square foot Beverly Hills mansion last week.  They are also looking into claims that another four women were raped by the 28 year-old prince.  He's due to appear before a judge on October 19, assuming he doesn't flee to avoid prosecution (recall that the Saudi royal family has a history of taking care of their elites).  Then there was this story last spring about a friend of the Saudi royals who was accused of date rape in Utah (!) and tried to flee the country after someone had posted $100,000 bail for him.

Saudi royalty remains unfazed by these matters, and will flaunt their oil wealth whenever and wherever they please.  Last summer, it was a public beach on the French Riviera that they closed for the private enjoyment of King Salman and 1,000 in his retinue.  So, for the next few weeks while the King's entourage stayed at a massive villa above the beach, that beach was closed to the public.  When you have friends / servants in high places, oil money talks.

(photo:  "Pucker up Mr. President.")