US alarmed as Saudi lawsuits threaten to expose secrets
Former Saudi spymaster Saad Aljabri has alleged in a lawsuit that Saudi Crown Prince MBS has sent assassins to kill him in Canada where he lives in exile. — AFP file pic
RIYADH, July 11 — Two lawsuits pitting Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler against a former intelligence czar threaten to expose highly sensitive US government secrets, prompting Washington to consider a rare judicial intervention, documents show.
The cases in US and Canadian courts centre on corruption allegations levelled by state-owned Saudi companies against Saad Aljabri, a former spymaster who long worked closely with American officials on covert counterterrorism operations.
That marks the latest twist in a long-running feud between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and Aljabri.
Aljabri’s patron, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef (MBN), is currently in Saudi detention after being deposed as heir to the throne in a 2017 palace coup.
The legal drama sheds light on Shakespearean rivalries in the top echelons of the Saudi royal family, but Washington fears that a bitter courtroom showdown risks exposing sensitive information related to its covert operations.
A rare US Justice Department filing in a Massachusetts court in April noted Aljabri’s intention to “describe information concerning alleged national security activities”.
“The (US) government is considering whether and how to participate in this action, including if necessary and applicable, through an assertion of appropriate governmental privileges,” the filing said, without elaborating.
In a second filing a month later, the Justice Department asked the court for more time as national security matters require “‘delicate’ and ‘complex’ judgements by senior officials”.
The filing said the government was prepared to “provide further information” to the court in secret.
Legal experts have said Washington could invoke the “state secrets privilege”, which would allow it to resist a court-ordered disclosure of information deemed harmful to US national security.
The CIA declined to comment to AFP. The Justice Department, which experts say only rarely intervenes in civil lawsuits, did not respond to a request for comment.
‘Vendetta’
Last year, Aljabri alleged in another lawsuit that MBS sent “Tiger Squad” assassins to kill him in Canada, where he lives in exile, while detaining two of his children to pressure him to return home.
The feud took a new turn this March when state-run company Sakab Saudi Holding accused Aljabri of embezzling US$3.47 billion while working at the Ministry of Interior under MBN. It urged the Massachusetts court to freeze his US$29 million Boston property assets.
This came weeks after multiple state-owned companies sued Aljabri in Toronto on similar allegations. A Canadian court subsequently announced a worldwide freeze of Aljabri’s assets.
While denying any financial wrongdoing, Aljabri’s legal team says he is caught in the rivalry between MBS and MBN, who has not been publicly seen since his detention in March 2020.
State-run Sakab, which court filings say was established in 2008 by MBN, was part of a network of front companies to provide cover for clandestine security operations with the United States.
In order to prove his innocence, the court would need to probe Sakab’s finances, including how they were used to “finance sensitive programs” operated in partnership with the CIA, the US National Security Agency and the US Defense Department, said a filing by Aljabri.
“Dr Saad would never expose covert counterterrorism projects that saved thousands of lives, including Americans,” a source close to the former spymaster told AFP.
“Unfortunately, MBS’s blind vendetta against Dr Saad has cornered him in a position where he is compelled to do so in order to defend himself in court.”
‘Endanger lives’
While the Justice Department considers moves to prevent any disclosure of state secrets in Massachusetts, it remains unclear how it could do the same in the Ontario court, over which it has no direct sway.
The Aljabri source acknowledged any exposure could endanger “those who participated in (counterterrorism) operations, reveal sources and methods, and hinder... similar operations in the future”.
A US lawyer representing MBS declined to comment on the litigation.
But a source close to the Saudi leadership repeated multi-billion dollar corruption allegations, while accusing Aljabri of “poisoning the Saudi-US relationship”.
Several US officials who have worked alongside Aljabri have voiced support for him, with some acknowledging that he was privy to sensitive information.
“Dr Saad worked directly with at least the CIA, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, White House, Department of State, and Department of the Treasury,” former CIA official Philip Mudd wrote in a US court affidavit.
“When the United States had actionable intelligence or tactical information, we gave it to Dr Saad.”
In its April filing, the Justice Department said it anticipated engaging with both sides to understand their positions, suggesting it was keen for an out-of-court settlement.
“The more important thing for me is that MBS is holding Dr Saad’s kids, essentially extorting Dr Saad,” Daniel Hoffman, a former director of the CIA’s Middle East division, told AFP.
“That’s very much against the humanitarian values of the United States.” — AFP
The cases in US and Canadian courts centre on corruption allegations levelled by state-owned Saudi companies against Saad Aljabri, a former spymaster who long worked closely with American officials on covert counterterrorism operations.
That marks the latest twist in a long-running feud between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and Aljabri.
Aljabri’s patron, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef (MBN), is currently in Saudi detention after being deposed as heir to the throne in a 2017 palace coup.
The legal drama sheds light on Shakespearean rivalries in the top echelons of the Saudi royal family, but Washington fears that a bitter courtroom showdown risks exposing sensitive information related to its covert operations.
A rare US Justice Department filing in a Massachusetts court in April noted Aljabri’s intention to “describe information concerning alleged national security activities”.
“The (US) government is considering whether and how to participate in this action, including if necessary and applicable, through an assertion of appropriate governmental privileges,” the filing said, without elaborating.
In a second filing a month later, the Justice Department asked the court for more time as national security matters require “‘delicate’ and ‘complex’ judgements by senior officials”.
The filing said the government was prepared to “provide further information” to the court in secret.
Legal experts have said Washington could invoke the “state secrets privilege”, which would allow it to resist a court-ordered disclosure of information deemed harmful to US national security.
The CIA declined to comment to AFP. The Justice Department, which experts say only rarely intervenes in civil lawsuits, did not respond to a request for comment.
‘Vendetta’
Last year, Aljabri alleged in another lawsuit that MBS sent “Tiger Squad” assassins to kill him in Canada, where he lives in exile, while detaining two of his children to pressure him to return home.
The feud took a new turn this March when state-run company Sakab Saudi Holding accused Aljabri of embezzling US$3.47 billion while working at the Ministry of Interior under MBN. It urged the Massachusetts court to freeze his US$29 million Boston property assets.
This came weeks after multiple state-owned companies sued Aljabri in Toronto on similar allegations. A Canadian court subsequently announced a worldwide freeze of Aljabri’s assets.
While denying any financial wrongdoing, Aljabri’s legal team says he is caught in the rivalry between MBS and MBN, who has not been publicly seen since his detention in March 2020.
State-run Sakab, which court filings say was established in 2008 by MBN, was part of a network of front companies to provide cover for clandestine security operations with the United States.
In order to prove his innocence, the court would need to probe Sakab’s finances, including how they were used to “finance sensitive programs” operated in partnership with the CIA, the US National Security Agency and the US Defense Department, said a filing by Aljabri.
“Dr Saad would never expose covert counterterrorism projects that saved thousands of lives, including Americans,” a source close to the former spymaster told AFP.
“Unfortunately, MBS’s blind vendetta against Dr Saad has cornered him in a position where he is compelled to do so in order to defend himself in court.”
‘Endanger lives’
While the Justice Department considers moves to prevent any disclosure of state secrets in Massachusetts, it remains unclear how it could do the same in the Ontario court, over which it has no direct sway.
The Aljabri source acknowledged any exposure could endanger “those who participated in (counterterrorism) operations, reveal sources and methods, and hinder... similar operations in the future”.
A US lawyer representing MBS declined to comment on the litigation.
But a source close to the Saudi leadership repeated multi-billion dollar corruption allegations, while accusing Aljabri of “poisoning the Saudi-US relationship”.
Several US officials who have worked alongside Aljabri have voiced support for him, with some acknowledging that he was privy to sensitive information.
“Dr Saad worked directly with at least the CIA, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, White House, Department of State, and Department of the Treasury,” former CIA official Philip Mudd wrote in a US court affidavit.
“When the United States had actionable intelligence or tactical information, we gave it to Dr Saad.”
In its April filing, the Justice Department said it anticipated engaging with both sides to understand their positions, suggesting it was keen for an out-of-court settlement.
“The more important thing for me is that MBS is holding Dr Saad’s kids, essentially extorting Dr Saad,” Daniel Hoffman, a former director of the CIA’s Middle East division, told AFP.
“That’s very much against the humanitarian values of the United States.” — AFP
Sama sama lah. Most countries have spies, even Malay-sia, and many cooperate with the CIA, like Malay-sia, even to the extent for CIA's sapot for Jibby's then-gomen to win GE14.
ReplyDeleteQUOTE
Hasanah to make a report over claim she sent letter to CIA
NATION
Saturday, 28 Jul 2018
KUALA LUMPUR: Former director-general of Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation Datuk Hasanah Abdul Hamid will make a police report over news articles that claimed she had sent a letter to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
In a statement yesterday, Hasanah said she was advised by her lawyers to lodge a report over the matter.
“I will also hold a press conference to explain the real situation,” she said through her lawyer Datuk Shaharudin Ali yesterday.
Several screenshots of the purported letter were made viral recently, where Hasanah allegedly wrote to CIA director Gina Haspel pitching former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as a United States ally.
In the letter, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed was described as anti-West and anti-Semite.
The letter was allegedly written on May 4, just a week before the 14th General Election
UNQUOTE
QUOTE
Spy chief's lawyer confirms letter to CIA is genuine and falls under the OSA
By M. KUMAR
NATION
Tuesday, 31 Jul 2018
KUALA LUMPUR: The leaked letter that was sent to the United States' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director Is genuine but falls under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) and a police report has been lodged on the matter.
According to former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation (MEIO) head Datuk Hasanah Abdul Hamid's lawyer, the report was lodged urging for a probe into the individuals who leaked her confidential letter.
Her lawyer, Datuk Shaharudin Ali was speaking at a media conference at his office here and said Hasanah lodged her report Tuesday (July 31) at the Travers police station.
When asked if Hasanah knew who leaked the confidential letter, Shaharudin said it up to the police to investigate
He added that Hasanah, who was not present at the media conference, would fully cooperate in any probe.
The MEIO which is a covert intelligence agency set up in the 1960s and is known officially as the Research Division under the Prime Minister's Office, said Shaharudin.
He also distributed a written statement by Hasanah.
In her statement, Hasanah said the leak had destroyed the trust which foreign intelligence agencies had in MEIO and jeopardised ties between the spy agency and its foreign counterparts.
"The morale of MEIO officers and agents has also been affected by the leak.
"If this could so easily happen, then sources will cease (to work with the MEIO) and the trust towards the sanctity of confidential information held by MEIO will erode, and this will weaken national security," Hasanah wrote in her statement.
The letter was allegedly written on May 4, just a week before the 14th General Election.
Several screenshots of the letter addressed to CIA director Gina Haspel, which appealed to the US to support Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's administration had gone viral.
UNQUOTE
Don't Kerbau lah.
ReplyDeleteUSA Government in peacetime has no such legal power like the D-Notice.
Even UK government D-Notice powers are tame compared to China Government complete , total, Comprehensive Censorship powers.
"USA Government in peacetime has no such legal power like the D-Notice"
DeleteWakakakakaka…
Old moneyed mfer, u do know US his-story - the one dug up from that fart filled well.
During the terror of McCarthyism, do u know how many freedom-loving Yankee press had been D-Noticed?
The Ori 3-Blind-Mice, sekarang tinggal dua...we are tied between the TongSampah and the MonstrousLiar...everyday a torrent of C&P fake reporting and fabricated news from that fucking Freedum DemoCrazy Western "shared value" of "rule based world order" !
DeleteAmerican's so-called free press is anything but free, as this comment by a Canadian has illustrated :
"Does America has free press ? Oh, my, does it ever. So much free and frivolous press that no one ever notices when an important truth is suppressed.
Seymour Hersh, the best investigative journalist of the 20th century and maybe the 21st, who won the Pulitzer for breaking the My Lai story, who broke Abu Ghraib, who was Woodstein’s chief rival on Watergate, who broke new ground on biological warfare research, the Pakistani role in the death of Bin Laden, so much more . . .
Seymour Hersh can not get a story published in any news outlet in the United States. His work turns up in fashion mags and Rolling Stone.
Greg Palast broke the minority voter suppression story well in advance of the Bush/Gore “election.” He offered it to major news outlets around the U.S. and could not get it published. (It finally ran on the BBC.) On a follow-up call to a major network he was told “It didn’t check out.”
“And just how did you check it out?”
“We phoned Jeb Bush’s office and they said there was nothing in it.”
When a student demonstrator at Tienanmen Square got a false story planted in an obscure Chinese newspaper that there had been a massacre of the students there, how many revered senior journalists of the western press, whose hotel rooms overlooked the Square, reported, accurately, that the demonstration had dispersed peacefully? How many filed a copy of a false story? How many papers ran an apology and correction? How many reporters were fired for filing a false story plagiarized from an unknown source?
There’s one half-assed apology that I know of, by the head of the Beijing bureau of the Washington Post, which is posted on the website of the Columbia School of Journalism. And even that while apologizing for journalistic sins repeats them, weaving through his apology another story, which he also did not see and also did not interview witnesses to, about a running gun battle with police elsewhere in the city. So let a gun battle between police and an armed gang equal a massacre of students, and all he really got wrong was the address!
When Hugo Chavez was kidnapped at gunpoint during a violent coup and helicoptered out of the country, the U.S. press reported wall-to-wall that he had resigned.
How could this happen? If every paper runs the same story and it is correct, well, maybe not suspicious. After all, that is what they are supposed to do, give us the important news and get it right. But how do you explain them all giving us the same wrong story? It can only be that they are receiving the story from the same central source. My money is on the State Dept."