Founder’s Grandsons Take Over Saudi Security

Shortly after being appointed Interior Minister, Prince Mohammed bin Naif took the oath before King Abdullah. In the footage of the swearing-in aired by Saudi state television you will notice that only two people attended the short, simple ceremony: Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the intelligence chief, and Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, Commander of the National Guard.

That only these two attended the swearing-in is probably a symbolic thing, but with MbN at the helm of the Interior Ministry it is a fact that Saudi Arabia is now entrusting three of the Kingdom’s grandsons with most of its security.

Only the Defense Ministry remains controlled by one of Abdulaziz’s sons, and that could change in the upcoming cabinet shuffle expected in February. Such changes will no doubt offer interesting insights into the succession plans considered by the royal family for the future.

More Protection for Saudi Team at Bahrain’s Gulf Cup

The organizing committee of the upcoming Gulf Cup of Nations in Bahrain has asked the interior ministry to provide extra protection for the Saudi team during the football tournament, al-Sharq reported Tuesday. Security levels will be heightened to protect all delegations who will participate in the tournament, sources told the newspaper, but special attention will be given to the Saudi team.

Bahrain has been in turmoil since mass protests started in February 2011, led by the country’s Shia majority. The ruling Sunni monarchy crushed the protest movement in a bloody crackdown in March after it invited Saudi troops for support and imposed martial law. But Bahrain has continued to witness sporadic demonstrations, mostly outside the capital.

Maintaining security for the Gulf Cup could pose a challenge to the Bahraini government, especially if protesters decide to hold demonstrations during the two weeks long tournament that will kick off on January 5, 2013. The statements attributed to organizing committee sources here suggest there is a concern that protesters might target the Saudi team due to the country’s role in the uprising.

The 2013 Gulf Cup of Nations was originally planned be hosted in the city of Basra, Iraq but was moved to Bahrain in October 2011 to ensure that Iraq could suitably host the next edition of the competition in 2015.

Company Pays $26 Million To Settle Saudi Bribery Charges→

Bloomberg:

Tyco International Ltd. agreed to pay more than $26 million to resolve US charges that it bribed officials of companies including Saudi Aramco to win contracts. Tyco Valves & Controls Middle East Inc., a subsidiary of Schaffhausen, Switzerland-based Tyco, agreed to pay $13.7 million as part of a guilty plea entered today before US District Judge Claude Hilton in Alexandria, Virginia, for conspiring to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the US Justice Department said in a statement. In a civil proceeding, Tyco, which makes and sells products related to security, fire protection and energy, agreed to pay $13.1 million under a final judgment with the Securities and Exchange Commission, according to the statement.

Fueled by large revenues due to the high oil prices, recent years witnessed huge government spending in Saudi Arabia. With the huge government spending, the potential for corruption to win government contracts increased exponentially. What we see here might be just the tip of the iceberg. ♦