A report by a former official of Saudi Arabia alleged that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman faked his dad’s signature on the royal decree, which launched its years’ long war with Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
In a Monday interview with BBC, Saad al-Jabri made unsubstantiated allegations against Saudi Arabia without any evidence and did not receive an immediate response from it; however, the country has referred to him as a “disgraced ex-official.” For several years now, al-Jabri has been engaged in a conflict with the country where he previously served as an intelligence expert while living in exile in Canada and two of his children are also being kept in jail as part of what he calls an effort to entice him back into the kingdom.
This comes after Prince Mohammed has taken over as the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia often representing his father who is aged 88. Even before ascending power during early stages of Yemen’s war 2015, he depicted himself aggressively through quashing every form of dissent that could subvert his authority or challenge his power base within this period.
Al-Jabri told the British brand that one trustworthy and credible security officer from internal ministry had confirmed to him that Prince Mohammed signed off on launching ground operations in place of his father via a royal order declaring war.
The BBC asked al-Jabri about a royal decree allowing their forces to be committed onto land surface, prompting al-Jabri to say: “He signed that Royal Decree forging [the] signature of his dad… The mental capacity [of the king] was failing.”
Saad al-Jabri’s attorney based in US did not comment at once when requested for comments by journalists. (18 words)
The prince promised short lasting Yemeni war against Houthi rebels supported by Iran has lasted for almost a decade and killed more than 150,000 people, making it one of the worst humanitarian crises globally with many more dying off. Prince Mohammed was the Minister of Defence at that time.
Also, Houthi militants have been attacking ships since the beginning of the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which had an effect upon shipping in the Red Sea – along with the most intense fighting involving American Navy since WWII.
Al-Jabri used to work under former Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef who was a close ally to US against Al Qaeda groups within Saudi Arabia after September 11 attacks. In 2017, King Salman replaced him for his son and held prisoner allegedly until now is Prince Mohammed bin Nayef.
In a United States court case against Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, al-Jabri accused him of trying to assassinate him after fleeing from Saudi Arabia for safety reasons.
Speaking on BBC again this week al-Jabri repeated his earlier claim that Crown Prince Mohammed considered assassinating Abdullah with a poison ring from Russia as he had confessed in an interview done in February 2021 on CBS News channel; he also expressed concerns about being killed because according to him they remain imprisoned in Saudi Arabia as well as Prince Mohammad still desiring so much his death.
To BBC’s question al-Jabri reiterated that “he planned my murder” but would not rest until he gets me dead I am sure.”
