Riyadh: Saudi princes arrested in a crackdown ordered by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman three weeks ago are being strung up by their feet and beaten by American private security contractors. The tortured princes include billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal.
At least 11 princes and hundreds of businessmen and government officials were detained last month over claims of corruption. According to British media agency the arrests have been followed by ‘interrogations’ which are being carried out by ‘American mercenaries’.
According to a report published in Dailymail, ‘They are beating them, torturing them, slapping them, and insulting them. They want to break them down.’ ‘Blackwater’ is said to be the firm torturing the Saudi princes. Highly placed sources claimed Salman has brought in at least 150 ‘Blackwater’ guards.
Lebanon’s president and Arabic social media also claimed its presence in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi crown prince, according to the source, has also confiscated more than $194 billion from the bank accounts and seized assets of those arrested.
Prince Mohammed has kept the princes and other billionaires at the Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh. Salman is conducting some of the interrogations himself and then he leaves the room, and the mercenaries go in. The prisoners are slapped, insulted, hung up, and tortured.
However the Blackwater has denied the claims. Dailymail has quoted them as saying ‘No. Academi has no presence in KSA. We do not have interrogators, nor do we provide any interrogators, advisors or other similar services.’ They added: ‘Academi does not participate in interrogative services for any government or private customer. Academi has a zero tolerance policy for violence. We operate legally, morally, ethically and in compliance with local and US laws.’