Former Saudi official alleges crown prince forged king’s signature on Yemen war decree
“I am not a dissident, nor did I put myself in this situation by choice,” al-Jabri said.
“I was a high-ranking Saudi official who dedicated himself to safeguarding his country, recognised for saving thousands of Saudi and Western lives. Now I am a father doing everything possible to secure the release of his children.”
His allegation comes as Prince Mohammed serves as Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, often meeting leaders in place of his father, 88-year-old King Salman.
Later, al-Jabri told Associated Press he had reached a deal with US counterparts in the then-Obama administration for Saudi Arabia to launch “an aerial bombardment campaign to eliminate Houthi threats, establish deterrence and force a political process without a ground intervention”.
His former boss, Saudi Arabia’s then-Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, then chaired a meeting in Saudi Arabia formalising that plan.
Staying quiet has only made matters worse, so I had no option but to speak out for the well-being of my children and my country
Prince Mohammed bin Salman, however, responded with “visible displeasure” at that meeting and said he could beat the Houthis in two months in a ground offensive, al-Jabri claimed.
“Surprisingly, a royal order was later issued, overriding the agreed plan and authorising a ground operation – without the king’s knowledge and with a forged signature,” al-Jabri said.
The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment over al-Jabri’s claims.
The war against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, launched with public promises by the prince it would quickly be over, has ground on for nearly a decade. The war has killed more than 150,000 people and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.
Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who later served as a crown prince for King Salman, was a trusted confidant of the US in the battle against al-Qaeda militants in the kingdom after the September 11 attacks in 2001.
King Salman replaced the crown prince for his son in 2017, and Prince Mohammed bin Nayef is believed to have been held under house arrest.
Al-Jabri sued Prince Mohammed bin Salman in US federal court, alleging the crown prince sought to have him killed after he fled abroad. “He planned for my assassination,” al-Jabri told the BBC. “He will not rest until he sees me dead. I have no doubt about that.”
He described his fears that the crown prince still wants him killed as his adult children Sarah and Omar remain imprisoned in the kingdom, something he reiterated to Associated Press.
“Staying quiet has only made matters worse, so I had no option but to speak out for the well-being of my children and my country,” al-Jabri said. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “started this needless feud and has the power to end it instantly”, al-Jabri said.