Al-Waleed bin Talal, Obama’s handler.
GROK:
On November 4, 2017, Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, a prominent Saudi billionaire businessman and royal, was arrested as part of a sweeping anti-corruption purge led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The purge targeted numerous high-profile Saudi princes, government ministers, and business figures, with allegations including money laundering, bribery, and extortion.
Al-Waleed was detained at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh, along with other notable figures, where the hotel was repurposed as a detention facility.
Reports suggest he faced harsh treatment, including psychological abuse and possibly torture, with sources indicating he required emergency medical treatment multiple times during his detention.
The Saudi authorities reportedly demanded a $6 billion financial settlement for his release, which was negotiated in secret without public disclosure of specific charges or evidence.
Al-Waleed was released on January 27, 2018, after nearly three months in detention, following a financial settlement. Post-release, he has been under semi-compulsory residence in Saudi Arabia, with restrictions on travel and likely limited control over his business decisions, as noted by activists and observers.
His public profile diminished significantly after the purge, and he was dropped from Forbes’ World’s Billionaires list in March 2018 due to lack of current information.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Waleed_bin_Talal_Al_Saud)
The Saudi purge looks like an own goal by Mohammad Bin Salman
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Walid_bin_Talal_bin_Abdul_Aziz_Al_Saud
Reports alleging that Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal was hung by his ankles as part of torture during the 2017 Saudi anti-corruption purge stem primarily from unverified sources and have not been officially confirmed. Here’s an analysis of the claim based on available information:
* Background
During the Saudi purge that began on November 4, 2017, Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, a prominent billionaire and royal, was detained at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh alongside other high-profile figures. The purge, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), was framed as an anti-corruption campaign but was widely seen as a move to consolidate power. Allegations of mistreatment, including physical and psychological abuse, surfaced regarding the treatment of detainees.
* The Specific Claim
The claim that Al-Waleed was hung by his ankles originates from reports in Western media and activist circles, particularly citing anonymous sources close to the Saudi royal family or former detainees. Notably:
– A January 2018 article in *The Daily Mail* referenced claims from unnamed sources in Saudi Arabia that Al-Waleed was subjected to harsh treatment, including being “hung upside down” to “send a message” during interrogations. The report suggested this was part of a broader pattern of abuse to coerce financial settlements.
– Similar claims appeared in other outlets, such as *The New York Times* and *The Wall Street Journal*, which reported allegations of physical abuse, sleep deprivation, and psychological pressure on detainees, though specifics about Al-Waleed being hung by his ankles were less prominent and often attributed to secondhand accounts.
– Posts on X and other platforms have amplified these claims, often citing the *Daily Mail* or anonymous “insider” accounts, but these lack primary source documentation.
### Evidence and Challenges
– **Lack of Primary Evidence**: No official Saudi government statements, court documents, or firsthand accounts from Al-Waleed himself confirm the specific claim of him being hung by his ankles. Saudi authorities have consistently denied allegations of torture, asserting that detainees were treated in accordance with the law.
– **Anonymous Sources**: The reports rely heavily on anonymous sources, such as exiled Saudi dissidents or individuals claiming proximity to the royal family. This makes verification difficult, as Saudi Arabia’s opaque legal and detention systems limit public access to information.
– **Al-Waleed’s Post-Release Statements**: After his release on January 27, 2018, Al-Waleed gave interviews, such as one with Reuters, where he described his detention as a “misunderstanding” and denied mistreatment, claiming he was held in comfortable conditions with access to medical care. However, critics argue his statements may have been made under duress or as part of a settlement agreement to avoid further repercussions.
– **Broader Context of Abuse Allegations**: While the specific ankle-hanging claim lacks corroboration, broader reports of mistreatment during the purge are more substantiated. For example:
– *The New York Times* reported in 2018 that at least 17 detainees required hospital treatment due to physical abuse, with one later dying in custody.
– Human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International, documented allegations of torture, including beatings and sleep deprivation, based on accounts from released detainees and their families.
– A Saudi activist interviewed by *Middle East Eye* claimed Al-Waleed required emergency medical treatment multiple times during detention, though specific methods of torture were not detailed.
– **Cultural and Political Sensitivity**: The Saudi government tightly controls information about the royal family, and public criticism within the kingdom is heavily suppressed. This makes it challenging to verify sensational claims like the ankle-hanging allegation without risking retaliation against sources.
### Critical Analysis
The claim that Al-Waleed was hung by his ankles is plausible within the broader context of reported abuses during the purge but lacks direct evidence. The reliance on anonymous sources and the absence of confirmation from Al-Waleed or official records raise questions about its validity. Sensational details, such as being hung upside down, may also be exaggerated to highlight the purge’s severity or to serve political narratives among critics of MBS.
Conversely, Al-Waleed’s denial of mistreatment may reflect pressure to align with the Saudi government’s narrative post-release, especially given his continued residence in the kingdom and restricted public profile.
### Conclusion
There is no definitive proof that Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal was hung by his ankles during the 2017 Saudi purge, though the claim aligns with broader, partially substantiated allegations of detainee mistreatment. The lack of primary evidence and reliance on anonymous sources mean the specific allegation should be approached with skepticism. If you’d like, I can further explore related reports, focus on other detainees’ experiences, or search for any new information on X or the web to see if additional details have emerged.
The 2017–2019 Saudi Arabian anti-corruption purge, which began on November 4, 2017, led to the arrest of numerous prominent figures in addition to Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal. Below is a list of some notable individuals arrested during the purge, based on available information from the time:
– **Prince Miteb bin Abdullah**: Son of the late King Abdullah and former head of the Saudi Arabian National Guard, a key military force. He was seen as a potential rival to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Miteb was released in late November 2017 after reportedly agreeing to a settlement exceeding $1 billion.[](https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/saudi-arabias-anti-corruption-purge)%5B%5D(https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-47065285)
– **Prince Turki bin Abdullah**: Former governor of Riyadh and another son of King Abdullah. He was among the senior princes detained.
– **Prince Turki bin Nasser**: A senior royal also named in the arrests, though less information is available about his specific role or outcome.
– **Ibrahim al-Assaf**: Former finance minister and a prominent government official. He was detained as part of the purge but later released and reinstated in a government role.
– **Waleed al-Ibrahim**: Owner of the influential Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC), a major regional media network. He was detained and released in late January 2018 after reaching a financial settlement, though his company stated he was fully exonerated.[](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-arrests-corruption-idUSKBN1FJ28E/)
– **Saleh Kamel**: A billionaire businessman and founder of the ART media network, accused of corruption and detained during the purge.[](https://x.com/zerohedge/status/926940221350010881)
– **Khaled al-Tuweijri**: Former head of the royal court under King Abdullah, a significant figure in the previous administration, arrested during the crackdown.
– **Adel Fakih**: Former minister of economy and planning, detained as part of the purge targeting high-ranking officials.
– **Bakr bin Laden**: Chairman of the Saudi Binladin Group, a major construction conglomerate. He was among the business tycoons detained at the Ritz-Carlton.[](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/10/more-than-200-arrested-in-latest-saudi-anti-corruption-purge)
– **Mohammed Hussein al-Amoudi**: A Saudi-Ethiopian billionaire businessman, reportedly released in early 2018, though it’s unclear if he agreed to a settlement.[](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-47065285)
The purge targeted as many as 500 people, including princes, ministers, and business elites, with over 2,000 domestic bank accounts frozen and assets worth up to $800 billion targeted, of which $300–$400 billion was claimed to be linked to corruption.
Detainees were held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh, which was repurposed as a detention facility. Many faced allegations of money laundering, bribery, extortion, and abuse of public office, though specific charges were often not publicly detailed.
Some detainees, like Miteb bin Abdullah, reached financial settlements for their release, while others faced ongoing detention or prosecution. The process was criticized for lacking transparency and due process, with reports of coercion, beatings, and torture, though Saudi authorities denied these claims.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017%25E2%2580%25932019_Saudi_Arabian_purge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017%25E2%2580%259319_Saudi_Arabian_purge
The purge was widely seen as a move by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to consolidate power, sidelining potential rivals and dismantling the traditional consensus-based governance among Saudi elites, particularly those aligned with the late King Abdullah’s faction.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017%25E2%2580%25932019_Saudi_Arabian_purge
Awww… hung him by his ankles. All that did was decompress his spine.
For what Al-Waleed did backing and mentoring Barry Soetero they should have stuffed his mouth with some fresh pork bellies.