...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
’s attorney general has released a statement on his committee’s finding regarding a recent probe into corruption in the kingdom.
The statement said 320 persons were summoned by the commission with the addition of others after first investigations began on Nov. 9 based on the information provided by the detainees.
The anti-corruption commission referred a number of the tossed in the slammer
Drop the heater, Studs, or you're hist'try!
to the kingdom’s public prosecutor’s office. The number of detainees to date stands at 159.
"Most of those who have been confronted with corruption charges against them by the committee have agreed to a settlement and the necessary procedures are being completed," the statement said.
"The Public Prosecution examined the files of those referred to it in accordance with the relevant legal procedures and decided to detain a limited number of them and released the rest," the attorney general’s statement added.
According to the statement, the total number of those who have been detained and whose accounts have been frozen stands at 376.
| An Nahar adds: |
The attorney general has previously said he estimates at least $100 billion has been lost in embezzlement or corruption over several decades.
His latest statement comes after Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, the former National Guard chief once seen as a contender to the throne, was released last week following a settlement reportedly exceeding $1 billion.
Some analysts saw Prince Miteb's removal as an attempt by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is also Saudi defense minister, to consolidate his control over the security services.
In a recent interview to The New York Times
...which still proudly displays Walter Duranty's Pulitzer prize...
, Prince Mohammed described as "ludicrous" reports equating the crackdown to a power grab, saying that many of those detained at the opulent Ritz-Carlton had already pledged allegiance to him.
Saudi forces also grounded private jets at airports, possibly to prevent high-profile figures from leaving the country, an aviation source told AFP.