Saudi Arabian authorities have arrested three members of the royal family.
The arrests illustrate an increase in the already very powerful Crown Prince Mohammed ben Salmane’s influence.
Anonymous sources say King Salmane’s brother Prince Ahmed ben Abdelaziz al-Saoud and nephew Prince Mohammed ben Nayef were arrested at their homes after being accused of treason, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The New York Times also reported on the arrests, adding that Prince Nayef’s younger brother was also arrested.
Saudi authorities have not yet responded to the story.
The arrests appear to be the Crown Prince’s most recent attempt to increase his influence and power. He is having religious and military leaders put in prison, along with princes and important businessmen.
The Crown Prince is King Salmane’s son. He was the subject of severe international criticism after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed within the Saudi Arabian embassy complex in Istanbul in October 2018.
Prince Ahmed left London and returned to Saudi Arabia when the Khashoggi scandal broke, which was interpreted by some as wanting to show support to the monarchy.
Prince Nayef was Home Affairs minister when Prince Mohammed became Crown Prince in June 2017.
Saudi television channels showed Prince Mohammed kissing Prince Nayef’s hand and kneeling before him as a sign of respect at the time.
The Brussels Times
