Canada: trial of former Saudi intelligence chief embarrasses the United States
Saad Aljabri embarrasses the United States and its intelligence services.
© Al Jabri family / AFP
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3 min
A consortium of Saudi state-owned companies accuses Saad Aljabri of diverting millions of dollars from the fight against terrorism.
It is the latest standoff between Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the country's former intelligence chief.
The complaint was lodged in Canada where the ex-chief spy lives in exile.
To defend himself in these proceedings, this is embarrassing information for the United States that Saad Aljabri could reveal.
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It is a letter sent by the United States Department of Justice to Saad Aljabri's lawyer that AFP was able to consult.
In this letter, the prosecutor of the United States Department asks the Defense of the former Saudi intelligence chief to "
postpone any transmission of documents
" until September 30.
The request is aimed at enabling Washington to take the necessary steps to protect its national security secrets.
A holding company linked to American intelligence
Because to respond to the accusations he rejects, Saad Aljabri asked the Canadian justice to take an interest in Sakab Saudi Holding, one of the companies which filed a complaint against him. However, this would be linked to several programs carried out by American agencies: the CIA, foreign intelligence, but also the NSA in charge of national security and the Department of Defense.
The approach is unusual and reflects the embarrassment of the United States.
In this letter, Washington affirms that it "does
not take a position
" in this legal case and is concerned only with its national security.
But in 2020, the United States had given public support to Saad Aljabri, engaged in a fight against Mohammed bin Salman.
The ex-spy was a close advisor to the former crown prince of the kingdom and claims to be a target of Mohammed ben Salman as was the journalist
Jamal Khashoggi
.
►Also read: Crown Prince Mohammed ben Salman targeted by legal proceedings in the United States
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Mohammed bin salman