Saudi crown prince will be 'vindicated' in Khashoggi murder if probe goes public: Prince Al-Waleed

Published November 5, 2018
Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal  during an interview with Fox News. — Photo courtesy of Fox News
Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal during an interview with Fox News. — Photo courtesy of Fox News

Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal in an interview with Fox Business on Sunday said he believed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman would be "vindicated and exonerated" in the wake of a probe into journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder.

He called on Saudi Arabia to make the investigation into Khashoggi's killing public, saying that it would fully vindicate Prince Salman who he described as a "true reformer".

In the exclusive interview with Maria Bartiromo on 'Sunday Morning Futures', Prince Al-Waleed said: “You have to understand Jamal was not only my friend, he was working with me. What took place in that Saudi consulate was clearly horrific, despicable and tragic, and I believe that Saudi Arabia is going to get to the bottom of it, but please, you have to give us some time until the investigation is done and made public by the government of Saudi Arabia."

"As for Crown Prince Mohammed, yes, I assure you he’s for real. And all that he’s doing is changing Saudi Arabia in a very revolutionary manner — socially, economically, financially, so Saudi Arabia right now is witnessing a huge development and changes," he added.

Al-Waleed added that despite criticism from American lawmakers, he did not believe that the bond between the two countries would "break", Fox reported.

He described Saudi Arabia is the "beacon of tranquility, stability and integrity" in the region.

"Look at Yemen, look at Iraq, look at Syria, look at Iran — they’re all turbulent. Saudi Arabia is the beacon of stability in this region. So our alliance since 1945 when our King Abdul Aziz ibn Saud [met President Franklin D. Roosevelt] is well-established and is going to be intact and is going to be living for a long time to come."

Al-Waleed claimed to be "on excellent terms with the crown prince, the king and Saudi Arabia".

Dubbed the 'Warren Buffett of Saudi Arabia', Al-Waleed was the most high-profile among 350 suspects ─ including business tycoons and ministers ─ who were detained during a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown in the Kingdom at the Ritz-Carlton hotel.

He was released in January this year after three months in detention following an undisclosed financial agreement with the government, similar to deals that authorities struck with most other detainees in exchange for their freedom.

Speaking on his detention, he told Fox Business: "The incident is behind us. Many of those who had been detained deserved to be there as there was a lot of corruption [in the Kingdom]. There was a misunderstanding [...] I am out now, no problems at all. What happened was forgiven and forgotten."

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