The Saudi Crown Prince a lawsuit and an alleged murder plot i havent been so money is being sued in the u. S. Accused of another attempt to kill a dissident a group so you should saudi activists in exile be worried they risk the same fate as Jamal Khashoggi this is its a story. Hello and welcome to the program imran khan a man with close ties to the saudi royal family falls out with the crown prince and goes into exile and is targeted with assassination it sounds like what happened to journalist Jamal Khashoggi who was murdered at the saudi consulate in istanbul in 2018 but this is the story of a former top saudi intelligence official saw the jobbery says not long after killing the crown prince sent the same socalled hit squad to kill him in canada hes suing mohammed bin solomon in a u. S. Court and jobbery has a warning for other saudi dissidents abroad well bring in our guests in a moment but 1st this report from mike hanna in washington d. C. Crown Prince Mohammed bin solomon has been feted in the white house but now in papers before a washington d. C. Court hes alleged to have ordered death squads to torture and assessed in 8 opponents the case has been brought by a former saudi Intelligence Officer sardar japery who alleges the crown prince sent a team called the tigers squad to canada to kill him the Court Papers Say the men were denied entry by suspicious Canadian Border guards this detailed flow chart submitted to the court identifies key members of the assassination squad and others involved including what are described as forensic technicians skilled in criminal evidence removal and their image of the hit squad that is believed to have murdered and dismembered journalist Jamal Khashoggi in istanbul in 2018 the case has been brought in terms of legislation that allows non us citizens to take action in federal courts against foreign individuals who have committed torture and or extra judicial killings in addition sired algebra he argues that the hit squad assembled in the United States before attempting to enter canada saddle japanese children now aged 20. 21 are being held at an undisclosed location in saudi arabia as what he describes as human bait to draw him out of hiding last month for senators sent a letter to President Trump saying the u. S. Had a moral obligation to press saudi authorities for their release. The president in the past has made clear that regardless of the allegations of Human Rights Violations against the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman remains a valued ally and friend mike hanna aljazeera washington. Lets bring in our panel joining us from washington. Director of research and analysis at the Arab Center Washington d. C. From dublin abilities are a saudi human rights activist and a member of the Saudi Diaspora Party and in new york Karen Greenberg director of the Fordham University school of laws center on National Security a warm welcome to you all and lets begin in washington d. C. With her in the court case itself and lets get into that before we get into the wider regional implications of all of this but the court case itself the way its been presented the evidence or the suggested evidence is pretty damning the canadians turning this team around because they were suspicious of them we also have precedent with Jamal Khashoggi is murder in the stumble consulate yet again m. B. s my having been so man is in the frame is there any evidence that you can see that would suggest that this case has merit that this case will go all the way and well see a u. S. Courtroom. Well thanks for having me 1st the idea of a filing in a court fight and d. C. Is that as far as im concerned its a very smart idea. This is where m. P. s really looks for support the or. Or down support so its 1st of all its a good idea the fight the problem with the with the idea is if the court itself accepts this case and whether the court the bases it said decision on accepting or rejecting that case on political decision in other words is the court number i do not they do want to disparage the American Court system but there are some political pressures those specific be in d. C. That may be brought to bear on this or whether the judge reviewed these sites for or against accepting this but generally speaking its a good idea to fight in d. C. Because this is the most impactful kind of place to fight such a case greenberg in new york and i have been some one crucial ally of the u. S. In the frame in the u. S. Call for the end the see the light of day you know when i 1st read the complaint i was very skeptical but i do think that they lay out something thats very essential in the complaint which is the intersection with the United States and what this has to do with a crime allegedly planned here in the United States and so they made it out very carefully and im im of course im skeptical for the reasons just stated but i do think it has a chance again i do think it is in a very heightened medical context in terms of the ministration but you know this complaint really does address head on the trumpet ministrations. Saudi arabia and attempts to nullify. That is a concern so it will put the judge in making his decision and is going to have to face the fact that thats part of the complaint and so it is a little bit working here and i would have thought and i think there is a possibility i know its doubtful but there is a possibility that this case could go abilities only out in dublin sagal jobbery has a warning for People Living abroad hes living abroad that this could also happen to people like you that ate the tiger team as its been called in the court case could come after you all you concerned. Now the fall of the high so does case and we i saw did this instance we know about the possible to monarchy in saudi arabia have always taken extreme measures and fight think any. Number while in sports asking for democracy or. Fix things and the system i just want to point one point here about this case. Saddam debris is putting his narrative and took challenge by our courts so and this case we see 2 important exchange of Text Messages between mamet ben said man the crown prince and sad that attempt and we have the story that should be. Denied all right approved by the canadian authorities that the same team or part of the same team who went to to kill jamal went to law. To the canadian now. To canada to do the same thing so this is so very important parts that could be collaborate that we have to know that the fight with mohammed been some man or this fascist regime is a fight and different level some of it other people are fight and theres all these spend a lot of money to cover their rap bad beats and this case that narrative that you find. And japan or that our embassy in london saying or the saudi government is why i am so not have nothing. If it is proven that my met then said that i have contacted out and there certainly tell them to come back and when he refused he sent a head man group to kill him that means my madness and i was fully aware of that. This as its called by the saudi government rogue agents so i think this is a very important case and that media and. Terror and case i hope that the american system can challenge this case and we then get to hear the story from both sides im against i must add that jeffrey site the facts will be you know it certainly is a very important case as you say of lizzies ahmed but to her in washington d. C. Its actually slightly different cold case than one that weve exchanged in the past 8 used to be that the saudis went after dissidents and they dealt with them within the country themselves they didnt like criticism open criticism of the regime itself but these are people who were loyalists this. And mohammed bin nayef who was the darling of the u. S. Security subbasement for a very long time is actually seen as somebody quite loyal to the u. S. Government this is mohammed bin summer and not just cleaning house but taking the entire thing over is not. Really sure it is obviously a job really or him but my effort at it and the other. Person and positions of authority you know you know we do know that he is after challenger with them but oil family itself he is definitely trying to clean the slate so to speak before d his ascendance to the throne that he chose to go and so thats time but it just goes will be anything. Was basically. Not a very very happy with mom had been said by becoming crown prince anyway so he is definitely out to get rid of any objection or any. Basically a challenge to his theres a heart problem what with all of this is just not that its. A Bad Reputation for the kingdom of saudi arabia king to saudi arabia is put. Some extraordinary world so its its really shameful for the country to be well on this kind of what the question is you know what if if it wants to become king why why would be a one star in his reign with all these people who are supposedly you know what will actually be definitely want the good thing for the kingdom and im who are opposed to some tendencies then and has said and the way he does think so its very unfortunate that he should go this way but then again like a friend up as you said you know what this is the best but that. They do not want anybody he doesnt want anybody that he didnt say anything else or what he had really wants them said count greenberg in new york a lot of what were seeing here seems to me and to people i spoken to that there is a battle going on between different forces in saudi arabia but its taking place within the u. S. Its taking place within u. S. Newspapers now the u. S. Called system and it seems to be between people who are very close to each other one point but now fighting each other for the attractions of the white house and. One friend of mine who is very close actually to the saudi said to the saudis and son saudi regularly well liken this to the idea that actually what is going on right now is to put pressure on the white house and donald trump to pick a side would you characterize that as being right i dont think thats farfetched i think its wider than the white house i think its the white house and the issue of the ties who our Intelligence Community is tied to but i think theres an underlying story here that fits into what youre talking about which is the fear of what has to say and what he know and one of the issues seems to be a fear of the influence that what he knows that play on top of this field in the Intelligence Community and then they could pressure the white house or the white house directly and i think we cant minimize that when we talk about whats actually going on here i think youre right this has everything to do with the relationship between the United States and saudi arabia thats why the complaint mentioned so much so many times the influence that the saudis have on the white house the relationship of the president and his son in law with the saudis the fact that on his inaugural trip abroad he went to saudi arabia and more and so i think that its another wrinkle in that but theres another part of those that its not just political and that has to do with what it means to threaten a somebody a foreign nationals life using the territory and planning for it in the United States and this is not a minor thing and the details in this complaint are rather frightening actually in terms of the network the numbers of people the amana plans the individuals that were pulled out by covert saudi agents to talk to them and ill be family in boston and elsewhere and i think part of this. Right politics aside is an attempt to shed light and to use light as a protection to say this is whats going on now its in a court or at least were trying to get it to go forward in court here it is in the light of day as a way of protection against what happened to your mom i think that an entity has to be meant. I will come to you in just a 2nd but i want to go to him and hug him out a lot of these court cases have been havent had huge amounts of success lets take a look at a couple of them you had the arab bank and there were a bunch of activists in the u. S. Who were trying to sue the arab bank because they had maps had accounts there we also had post 911 a group of people trying to freeze Saudi Arabian assets within the u. S. To try and get that to cool these cases didnt go anywhere it is very difficult for these types of cases to be heard. Are you do you have any confidence that this will see a court. Well again as i said before it depends on whether the Court Accepts the case or not be but what i know is i think its you know why despite the fact that the japanese case is. Very very important you know hes trying to make it not only to defend himself but also make it. So today because Foreign Policy or this policy against the bill with the with it so that citizens i think what important one is that the court of Public Opinion i mean comment been so mind is running against a very very tough situation and the United States yes he does have the white house he has people will burn the white house and president greenberg is right about talking about. About these people or maybe its a was outlawed the as was said that if i think that. Will get the better say should support them but then that is congress you know and congress that is that larger sentiment among both democrats and republican. More are more democratic then but that you have some of the sentiment is not necessarily the way but i think and there are there is a lot of that to station against what hes doing. And at the same time we also have to think ahead of a bit if the november 3rd if joe biden is elected you know by january 2021 dinner or 202021. There might be different Foreign Policy orientation and they and the white house so he probably should really try to retake salmon his card so to speak see where he is going if indeed he cant go this far and if he if he is not be too worried about what happens after january. You know all bets are off but then again saudi arabia has a lot of good relations with the United States a lot of 2nd they resemble United States really depend on a Good Relationship with saudi arabia so well you know have been so man and the white house by the way should really be careful about how this things well see how distinct seats now im of the reason i asked you i really push the point about whether well see a courtroom again is because i want to reaction from abilities that is saddam. Now somebody who you could partner up with who is an effective ally for you in forming a wide ranging opposition to mohammed simba mohammed bin so nunn and the regime in saudi arabia could you be bedfellows i would like 1st it was true is the point that jim outlined sujit. When he was killed in turkey he wasnt calling for a democracy in saudi arabia clearly right jeffrey isnt and anyway i dissidents all right and now a position with this ok with you but you can see that from the message is. Death. That escalation is coming from emigrants and that you can understand that if your children are being used as bait to bring you that you will do whatever you can in your house to fight back so i think ill indulge every case as an other cases and i might miss out on that strategy how. Things it escalate and he tried. To get a quick victory im. Not turning up well up or have a lizzies let me ask the question again in a different way isnt my enemys enemy my friend surely you have somebody who wants to really criticize by having been summoned and you have a cause as well you might make an easy partners but certainly there is a common cause there are no. Like a philosopher clee not always my enemy of my enemy is my friend the starting point but. Yes saudi arabia have a very big problem absolute monarchy as we can see from whats happening right now and the stories from the routine about the extra team are that x. Royal. The previous royal the previous king that it is not working. For me i wish that i would support any effort to bring get and. Resist the fascist regime in saudi arabia and. Bring go quoting to people on the right to. How they have checked some balances and their rules. And missed another job or a case. Like anybody else said he should be if he had any crimes in his past that the him and saudi arabia he should be he should answer to them but they dont think this is whats happening i think im against a man is chasing all the enemies because he knows how weak he as you know is that he got to call or he wasnt like the. Planets was something that happened at the time because of his father being a king and his relations with person or an american that least in his eyes you know thats how he gets in power thats why hes up for it somebody else could come and challenge him at the end of the day as so the people we ask everybody who have that conscious. Computer magically saudi arabia is going to live very big trouble if this continues because the way mohammed been said not concerning but company is going to be that theres a disaster and this is not good for nobody so there is a lot of followers as all get arabia some heroes and james are asking for people representation i say think its efforts that should be forced from everybody a lot of conscience all right more about what. But i want you to react to this karen where we will come back to you in just a 2nd were running out of time. This highlights particularly well abilities been saying highlights a key issue that yes you can criticize but how much been selman but he has been effective in silencing dissident voices and getting rid of anybody thats in his way in taking power effectively hes silence the opposition he might have done it in a very. Some would say brutal in the case of all orszag but he has effectively silence the opposition that puts him in a better position than anybody else. Of course yeah i mean you know we this is this is what power is right if you have power you use it to your advantage and and they and it political system that depends on absolute power and absolutism and the set that on it the old the person not the institution obviously you know he will have to do that but the problem is so to be has had the recent 32 sotto he has been. Has had a history of consultation it has been a consultative kind of kingdom for decision making. Is with comment as a mat is becoming. Less much much less it is the of the rule of the person so in that sense you know how he. Was there how many dissidents will there be you know sidelined liquidate the kilt look so much about which actually put in jail whatever. How many of these do we need to keep going to discover that the this treaty is not needed and that goods and that and the service and the good service. Or the royal family you know the royal family has not necessarily been extremely nice to go to democracy or the right about that but then you know that is a way of sorry we are running out of time and i would not say i would like to get some thoughts from Karen Greenberg now karen is firstly is this this court system the judicial system in the u. S. Able to cope with all of the i mean if hes the one skullduggery that weve heard all of the politics that involves prosecuting a member a Senior Member of the saudi royal family can they do dishes system. The judicial system could come up with what it has to the question is can he cope with pressures that are put on it from above inside the country from the from the white house or the department of justice even as weve seen recently in the plame case and can i cope they had the tools to cope if they want to yes as you alluded to there is the issue of sovereign immunity or i havent been samana but whether or not the case goes forward could be pivotal only important and i just want to emphasize one final thing which is that this complaint is about the Extensive Network of currying favor of n. G. O. S with American Companies with american foundations to create a culture where turning against the saudis will be very important but its deeply rooted not just politically but culturally and i think this may impact the decision of the court to go for i want to thank all our guests. Bill is easy and Karen Greenberg and thank you too for watching you can see the program again any time by visiting a website aljazeera dot com and for further discussion as well Facebook Page thats facebook dot com forward slash a. J. Inside story and you can also join the conversation on twitter we are at a. J. Inside story from a iran college and the entire team here and going to. The levees throw a lot of. Weight but with rests in 2017 people in power investigated like trinidad and tobago became a ripe recruiting ground for i saw. Her for a fearless or theres no hope almost in 2020 we returned to uncover the fate of those who left their home loans to join conflicts in iraq and syria or caribbean to california on. Exploited men use the killing. Jim bunning i would like to make the charge call that feels the finest says that forged the steel didnt make shoes the trade that exploits the man which saw have achieved penetrates Global Markets slavery a 21st century evil continues which are called slayers on aljazeera. Holding the powerful to account as we examine the u. S. Is wrong in the world on aljazeera. Im rob matheson in doha the top stories on aljazeera the u. S. State department has spoken out in support of a former top saudi intelligence agent who was allegedly targeted in a fall at assassination attempt to describe saddams job as a valued Part Time Job we filed a lawsuit in washington d. C. On thursday accusing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman of sending a hit squad to canada to try to kill him mike had reports from washington d. C. Patrick leahy was one of 4 senators who sent a letter to the white house last month in the letter the senate has expressed their concern about what they call
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