Government

Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Dies ‘Outside the Kingdom’

Crown Prince Nayef of Saudi Arabia Dies Outside the Kingdom in Geneva Hospital

(Photo: AP)

(The Blaze/AP) — Crown Prince Nayef, the hardline interior minister who spearheaded Saudi Arabia’s fierce crackdown crushing al-Qaida’s branch in the country after the 9/11 attacks in the United States and then rose to become next in line to the throne, has died. He was in his late 70s.

Nayef’s death unexpectedly reopens the question of succession in this crucial U.S. ally and oil powerhouse for the second time in less than a year. The 88-year-old King Abdullah has now outlived two designated successors, despite ailments of his own. Now a new crown prince must be chosen from among his brothers and half-brothers, all the sons of Saudi Arabia’s founder, Abdul-Aziz.

The figure believed most likely to be tapped as the new heir is Prince Salman, the current defense minister who previously served for decades in the powerful post of governor of Riyadh, the capital. The crown prince will be chosen by the Allegiance Council, an assembly of Abdul-Aziz’s sons and some of his grandchildren.

A statement by the royal family said Nayef died Saturday in a hospital abroad. It did not specify where, but Saudi-funded pan-Arab TV station Al-Arabiya later confirmed he died in Geneva.

Nayef had been out of the country since late May, when he went on a trip that was described as a “personal vacation” that would include medical tests. He travelled abroad frequently in recent years for tests but authorities never reported what ailments he may have been suffering from.

Nayef had a reputation for being a hard-liner and a conservative. He was believed to be closer than many of his brothers to the powerful Wahhabi religious establishment that gives legitimacy to the royal family, and he at times worked to give a freer hand to the religious police who enforce strict social rules.

His elevation to crown prince in November 2011, after the death of his brother Sultan, had raised worries among liberals in the kingdom that, if he ever became king, he would halt or even roll back reforms that Abdullah had enacted.

Soon after become crown prince, Nayef vowed at a conference of clerics that Saudi Arabia would “never sway from and never compromise on” its adherence to the puritanical, ultraconservative Wahhabi doctrine. The ideology, he proclaimed “is the source of the kingdom’s pride, success and progress.”

Nayef had expressed some reservations about some of the reforms by Abdullah, who made incremental steps to bring more democracy to the country and increase women’s rights. Nayef said he saw no need for elections in the kingdom or for women to sit on the Shura Council, an unelected advisory body to the king that is the closest thing to a parliament.

His top concern was security in the kingdom and maintaining a fierce bulwark against Shiite powerhouse, Iran, according to U.S. Embassy assesments of Nayef.

“A firm authoritarian at heart,” was the description of Nayef in a 2009 Embassy report on him, leaked by the whistleblower site Wikileaks.

“He harbors anti-Shia biases and his worldview is colored by deep suspicion of Iran,” it said. “Nayef promotes a vision for Saudi society under the slogan of `intellectual security,’ which he advocates as needed to `purge aberrant ideas’” and combat extremism, it added, noting that his was in contrast to Abdullah’s strategy emphasizing “dialogue, tolerance of differences, and knowledge-based education that is objectionable to many conservatives.”

Nayef, who was interior minister in charge of internal security forces since 1975, built up his power in the kingdom though his fierce crackdown against al-Qaida’s branch in the country following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the United States and a broader campaign to prevent the growth of Islamic militancy among Saudis.

The 9/11 attacks at first strained ties between the two allies. For months, the kingdom refused to acknowledge any of its citizens were involved in the suicide airline bombings, until finally Nayef became the first Saudi official to publicly confirm that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis, in a February 2002 interview with The Associated Press.

In November 2002, Nayef told the Arabic-language Kuwaiti daily Assyasah that Jews were behind the Sept. 11 attacks because they have benefited from subsequent criticism of Islam and Arabs. Nayef came under heavy criticism in the U.S., especially because he was the man in charge of Saudi investigations into the attack. Criticism grew in the United States that the Saudis were not doing enough to stem extremism in their country or combat al-Qaida.

In mid-2003, Islamic militants struck inside the kingdom, targeting three residential expatriate compounds – the first of a string of assaults that later hit government buildings, the U.S. consulate in Jiddah and the perimeter of the world’s largest oil processing facility in Abqaiq. Al-Qaida’s branch in the country announced its aim to overthrow Al Saud royal family.

The attacks galvanized the government into serious action against the militants, an effort spearheaded by Nayef. Over the next years, dozens of attacks were foiled, hundreds of militants were rounded up and killed.

By 2008, it was believed that al-Qaida’s branch was largely broken in the country. Militant leaders who survived or were not jailed largely fled to Yemen, where they joined Yemeni militants in reviving al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.

Nayef took a leading role in combatting the branch in Yemen as well. In 2009, al-Qaida militants attempted to assassinate his son, Prince Muhammad, who is deputy interior minister and the commander of counterterrorism operations: A suicide bomber posing a repentant militant blew himself in the same room as the prince but failed to kill him.

The cooperation against al-Qaida both in the kingdom and in Yemen significantly boosted ties with the United States.

The anti-militant campaign also boosted Nayef’s ties to the religious establishment, which he saw as a major tool in keeping stability and preventing the spread of violent al-Qaida-style “jihadi” theology. The Wahhabi ideology that is the official law in Saudi Arabia is deeply conservative – including strict segregation of the sexes, capital punishments like beheadings and enforced prayer times – but it also advocated against al-Qaida’s calls for holy war against leaders seen as infidels.

Nayef’s Interior Ministry allied with clerics in a “rehabilitation” program for detained militants, who went through intensive courses with clerics in “correct” Islam to sway them away from violence. The program brought praise from the United States.

Nayef never clashed with Abdullah over reforms or made attempts to stop them – such a step would be unthinkable in the tight-knit royal family, whose members work hard to keep differences under wraps and ultimately defer to the king. But Nayef was long seen as more favorable to the Wahhabi establishment. In 2009, Nayef promptly shut down a film festival in the Red Sea port city of Jiddah, apparently because of conservatives’ worry about the possibility of gender mixing in theaters and a general distaste toward film as immoral.

Nayef, a soft-spoken, stocky man of medium build, was born in 1933, the 23rd son of Abdul-Aziz, the family patriarch who founded the kingdom in 1932 and had dozens of sons by various wives. Nayef was one of the five surviving members of the Sudairi seven, sons of Abdul-Aziz from his wife Hussa bint Ahmad Sudairi who, for decades, have held influential posts. That makes him a half-brother of King Abdullah. Before being appointed interior minister, he held the posts of Riyadh governor, deputy minister of interior and minister of state for internal affairs.

Nayef has 10 children from several wives.

Comments (69)

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  • Individualism
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:37am

    Saudi Arabia is a big threat to America and their lobby is getting us in wars, preventing us from drilling our oil and supporting environmentalist efforts in US. There even worse and more dangerous than the Israeli lobby.

    Report Post » Individualism  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:01pm

      @Idiotvidualism

      Thanks for the copy and paste from another site. How did I know you might ask?

      Figure it out college boy. Many here already know the answer….

      Report Post » The-Monk  
  • TruthPolice60
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:33am

    Bumper sticker of the week…. “A towel is not a hat”.

    Report Post »  
  • trinklefinder
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:16am

    I wonder if he was surprised when he realized that there is no god named Allah and he doesn’t have a prophet named Muhammad. I wonder if he was equally surprised to stand before Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews? SURPRISE Nayef, you were wrong!!! What a bummer for him, hope he had a good 70 years here because his eternity will be a little less satisfying.

    Report Post » trinklefinder  
  • blaaaaackwoman
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:13am

    so true

    Report Post »  
  • RightPolitically
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:30am

    More headaches for U.S.

    Report Post » RightPolitically  
    • db321
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:47am

      He Died. Another proof he wasn’t God.

      Report Post » db321  
    • Skydawg
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:48am

      And more failures and traitorous activities are coming from the Obama administration.

      Report Post »  
    • hotteamakers
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:15am

      Was He On Obama’s KILL LIST?

      Report Post »  
  • NOT A CRAZY
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:15am

    Lol!

    Report Post » NOT A CRAZY  
  • G-WHIZ
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:12am

    The article says “he was in his 70′s”….but died at 88years…notice that 70′s and 88 are not the same. Nothing said “how” he died. Maybe muslimbrotherhood, alkida, inside-job, …, ?? These are strange names for bacteria or virus’ or maybe stroke… ??

    Report Post »  
    • howardroark1165
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:28am

      The prince was in his late 70′s. It goes on to say, “The 88-year-old King Abdullah has now outlived two designated successors, despite ailments of his own….”

      So, doing the math, Abdullah sired him when he was quite, ah, young….

      Report Post » howardroark1165  
    • jds7171
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 10:49am

      hey idiots. King Abdullah is his half brother…..

      Report Post »  
    • trinklefinder
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:18am

      no need to name call jds, maybe g-whiz was quickly scanning the article because they are limited on time. geesh. lighten up francis.

      Report Post » trinklefinder  
  • Daveed
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 9:32am

    My condolences to the Saudi Royal family. It is always difficult to lose the ones you love.

    Report Post »  
    • mike1127
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 2:12pm

      LOLOLOL! That’s rich! They don’t care about each other. They just want power. They’ve probably tried to have each other assassinated several times.

      Report Post » mike1127  
  • GERATMO
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 9:28am

    Oh great, I hope Obama doesnt embarrass us again by bowing to the new king and apologize for all the great things America has done for the world. Obama hates what America stands for and he wants the whole world to know it.

    Report Post » GERATMO  
  • brntout
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 9:05am

    Shouldn’t speak so badly of his harem.

    Report Post »  
  • brntout
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 8:55am

    Did Oblamer bow his head ,face east,kneel,lose a contact?

    Report Post »  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 8:54am

    Expect the local Muslim Brotherhood or Iranian backed factions to start a wave of assassinations and impose a puppet regime over Saudi Arabia.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • AmazingGrace8
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 12:33pm

      I have Dimon on my mind and the over 3T problem that Fox News (Neil C) showed this a.m. All of the un-rest in the world and the oil dependence on foreign oil…etc.,etc.,etc.. Just find it interesting this “rich-man” had his wealth here on this earth, “diamonds-on-the-soles-of-his-sandals” and he dies in Geneva (pretty-much-stays-neutral-about-other-countries). America is sure getting alot of “signs”….just saying.

      Report Post »  
  • brntout
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 8:53am

    Did we have an aircraft carrier nearby for the oh so swift burial? Any pictures?

    Report Post »  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 8:46am

    .
    I bet they say the same about bad doggies…….

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
  • HaroldHeard
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 8:43am

    This might become a pattern, usually deaths. Keep your eyes open

    Report Post » HaroldHeard  
  • progressiveslayer
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 8:40am

    We really don’t need to deal with the Saudis since we have 1.5 trillion barrels of oil here in the U.S and more natural gas than any other country so we should be telling the Saudis to F OFF.

    The Saudis can try to protect themselves from the followers of Amyan Al-Zawahiri.

    Report Post » progressiveslayer  
  • Ruckus_Tom
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 8:25am

    Several generations of first cousin marriage finally catching up.

    Report Post »  
  • V-Forge
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:55am

    Whenever you hear of a person like this dying outside their country of some ““Undisclosed”” ailment you must wonder what is going on. It just seems typical that these types die of some venereal disease because of their sick sexual practices.. An extremely rich man with no rules but those he imposes on others and no consequences for any action he takes. The imagination roams free and the same tired cliches come to mind. In the end, we are all better off without him.

    Report Post » V-Forge  
    • Melika
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 8:18am

      He was in his late 70′s, I seriously doubt he died of some venereal disease. Marrying multiple women, although strange to us, does not constitute dangerous sexual behavior on his part.

      Report Post »  
    • RebelPatriot
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:26pm

      These men have many “girlfriends” also. The are not held to be monogamous and feel it is their right to have sex with whom they please. It would not be unusual if he did die due to complications of an STD.

      Report Post »  
  • The_Almighty_Creestof
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:36am

    What a joke…the Saudi’s ARE terrorists…and what they don’t do themselves, they finance so others can do it.

    I hope he rots and feels every second of it.

    Report Post »  
  • MRMANN
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:26am

    Hope this event does not obstruct the oil pipeline.

    Report Post »  
    • EP46
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:53am

      The U.S. gets most of our oil from here at home…from Canada…Mexico..and Brazil. The ‘foreign oil’ lie is just a lie. Yes, Arab countries can with hold and spike prices…but we do not get most of our oil from Arab countries.

      Report Post »  
    • MRMANN
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 11:07am

      Thank you, EP6, I appreciate the information.

      Report Post »  
  • johnpaulkuchtajr
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:24am

    I certainly hope that this development doesn’t halt the steady Saudi program of mosque building across America, don’t you?

    I mean, what would the Ayatollah Obama do without all that Saudi campaign cash that filters-in through CAIR, ISNA and NAIT, all “unindicted co-conspirators” in the HLF terror trial?

    Wake up America! If we continue to depend on foreign oil, you can kiss this Republic good bye. We must become energy independent.

    Report Post »  
    • getourcountryback
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:38am

      Ayatollah Obama, I LOVE IT! So right on.

      Report Post »  
    • progressiveslayer
      Posted on June 16, 2012 at 8:49am

      We could be energy independent if our candyass politicians would exploit the 1.5 trillion barrels of oil we have here and the natural gas we have here.Of course that has no chance of happening while the Marxist POS is in the white house so his firing in November should be a good start,that and neutering the EPA and all the so called environmental groups blocking oil companies from exploiting our natural resources.

      Report Post » progressiveslayer  
  • EP46
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:11am

    Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Dies ‘Outside the Kingdom’

    oops…I read the headline and thought it was Bin Laden

    Report Post »  
  • piper60
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:09am

    I’m sure the family is grieving. I hope they don’t run out of princes.

    Report Post » piper60  
  • MittensKittens
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:08am

    What can you say, “good luck with that one”

    Report Post » MittensKittens  
  • mike_trivisonno
    Posted on June 16, 2012 at 7:06am

    Hooray!

    Have a nice trip to hell, chump!

    Report Post » mike_trivisonno  
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