Ripple effect: Prince Nayef likely to become heir to Saudi King

Ripple effect: Prince Nayef likely to become heir to Saudi King

With a reputation as a conservative, even by Saudi standards, where will Prince Prince Nayef take the Kingdom in his potential new role as heir to the throne?

October 23, 2011 4:48 by Reuters

…expressed doubt that Saudis were among the hijackers and denied that militants loyal to Osama bin Laden were present in Saudi Arabia.

But he launched an increasingly successful security campaign in response to a wave of attacks on Westerners and Saudi security forces that began in May 2003 and has vowed to beat the militants, however long it takes.

“I cannot say that operations have ended,” Prince Nayef said in April after security forces killed 15 suspects in the bloodiest shootout with militants so far. “But they have been weakened and we will continue to fight them”.

Militants have also turned their fire directly on Prince Nayef.

The Saudi wing of al Qaeda said a suicide bombing at the interior ministry in December, which caused some damage to the building but killed only the bomber, was aimed at the minister and his son Prince Mohammad who also oversees counter-terrorism. (Editing by Sami Aboudi and Tim Pearce)

Photo from middle-east-online.com

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Tags: al Qaeda, crown prince, heir to the throne, prince nayef, Saudi Arabia