Global Geo-political Series: Saudi's Mohammed bin Salman firms grip on power with 11 princes, senior officials and incumbent ministers arrested

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammad bin-Salman, who replaced his elder cousin Mohammad bin-Nayef to become next in line to the throne after his father King Salman by a royal decree has further tightened his grip on power as the newly formed anti-corruption committee arrests 11 princes, several senior officials and incumbent ministers. The king had decreed the creation of a powerful new anti-corruption committee, headed by the crown prince, only hours before the committee ordered the arrests. At 32, the crown prince has already been the dominant voice in Saudi military, foreign, economic and social policies. His vertical rise to power led to At 32, the crown prince is already the dominant voice in Saudi military, foreign, economic and social policies, stirring murmurs of discontent in the royal family that he has amassed too much personal power, and at a remarkably young age. The anti-corruption committee is being led by the Crown Prince himself.

The people arrested include big names like Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who is one of the richest men on the planet with stakes in western media as well as in western companies like Citigroup, Apple, 21st century Fox, Twitter and many other well-known companies. He was widely considered as the face of Saudi Arabia’s business community and his arrest has sparked a wide range of concerns among foreign investors. According to Forbes, his net worth was estimated at $17 billion.

The news was broken by Al Arabiya, the state-owned media, whose communications are often officially approved. According to Al Arabiya, the Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh, the de facto royal hotel, was evacuated on Saturday, stirring rumours that it would be used to house detained royals. The airport for private planes was closed, arousing speculation that the crown prince was seeking to block rich businessmen from fleeing before more arrests.

Here are some of the people who have reportedly been arrested,

• Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, billionaire businessman
• Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah, former head of Saudi Arabian National Guard
• Adel Fakeih, former Economy and Planning Minister
• Prince Turki bin Abdullah, former governor of Riyadh Province
• Khaled al-Tuwaijri, former head of royal court
• Waleed bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim, brother-in-law of King Fahd, Chairman of Middle East Broadcasting Company
• Amr Al-Dabbagh, businessman, CEO of Al-Dabbagh Group
• Ibrahim Abdulaziz Al-Assaf, former finance minister
• Khalid Abdullah Almolhem, former head of Saudi Arabian Airlines
• Saleh Abdullah Kamel, billionaire businessman, owner of television channel ART and founder of the Dallah al Baraka Group
• Bakr bin Laden, chairman of the Saudi Binladin Group

The arrests run a risk of triggering a major conflict with the Saudi royal family.