Confusing messages from the Kingdom
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Confusing messages from the Kingdom
Not aviation, I grant you, but for those of you not following this bit of Saudi colloquiism here it is -
First up - end of last week, a Saudi princess is in the news for running up a rather large bill on lingerie in Paris which she neglected to pay. Caused quite a stir. Her hubby must have been a little miffed with the negative publicity regarding his wife’s knickers & bras.
Astounded, as I am, the chap was on his soap-box this week giving a ra-ra speech in support of the Mutawa – the religious police, charged with the – where is it – ahh, here we go – Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. Wonderful double standards – you certainly do rise to the occasion Nayef.
First up - end of last week, a Saudi princess is in the news for running up a rather large bill on lingerie in Paris which she neglected to pay. Caused quite a stir. Her hubby must have been a little miffed with the negative publicity regarding his wife’s knickers & bras.
A Saudi princess alleged to have run up unpaid bills worth millions of euros in a Paris shopping spree has agreed to settle a $US125,000 tab after bailiffs turned up at her hotel, a lawyer said. Upmarket clothes store Key Largo filed suit in a Paris court this week against Maha al-Sudairi, wife of Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, over an outstanding bill of $US 125,000. Bailiffs turned up on Friday at the George V luxury hotel, which is owned by Sudairi's nephew Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, after a court order authorised the seizure of her belongings, the store's lawyer Jacky Benazerah said late Friday. "The Saudi Arabian consul was called out in person," he said.
French media reported the princess was holed up in her room at the four-star hotel just off the Champs Elysees while her staff wrangled with the bailiffs, although the George V would not confirm she was on the premises. After three hours of talks, the princess' aides had handed over a guaranteed cheque of $US125,000. The Saudi princess is alleged to have left a trail of unpaid bills at top Parisian locations including one for $ 15 million at the Hotel de Crillon, according to French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche. Benazareh said Paris jewellers Chaumet has also taken legal action against the princess. The Journal du Dimanche says the store is owed more than $ 800,000. The manager of luxury lingerie store Aux Caprices de Lili, which is just opposite the George V, told AFP the princess had run up a slate of $US 100,000 worth of designer underwear, silk bathrobes and swimwear.
French media reported the princess was holed up in her room at the four-star hotel just off the Champs Elysees while her staff wrangled with the bailiffs, although the George V would not confirm she was on the premises. After three hours of talks, the princess' aides had handed over a guaranteed cheque of $US125,000. The Saudi princess is alleged to have left a trail of unpaid bills at top Parisian locations including one for $ 15 million at the Hotel de Crillon, according to French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche. Benazareh said Paris jewellers Chaumet has also taken legal action against the princess. The Journal du Dimanche says the store is owed more than $ 800,000. The manager of luxury lingerie store Aux Caprices de Lili, which is just opposite the George V, told AFP the princess had run up a slate of $US 100,000 worth of designer underwear, silk bathrobes and swimwear.
Saudi Arabia's interior minister signalled his backing for the kingdom's controversial morality police this week, saying they were on a par with the security forces. The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice -- a key arm of the powerful religious establishment -- has been under pressure after incidents where Saudis died in their custody or in car accidents as the police pursued them. "The Commission completes the security forces and the security forces complete the Commission," Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz said in comments carried by the state news agency SPA late on Tuesday. "If members of the Commission do wrong ... they will be treated just as the security forces are treated."
Last month, a court acquitted two commission members accused of causing the deaths of four youths in a car accident after chasing them on suspicion of being with unrelated women. With over 5,000 members, the men have wide powers to patrol public places to ensure unrelated men and women do not mix, uncover use of alcohol and drugs, and urge men to perform Muslim prayers in mosques. The body answers to King Abdullah but his half-brother Prince Nayef also has sway over it. Prince Nayef was appointed second deputy prime minister in March, a post that could strengthen his chances of becoming crown prince one day. Crown Prince Sultan is convalescing in Morocco after an operation this year in the United States. The veteran interior minister is seen as a hawk with strong ties to the religious establishment which is against raising women's role in public life. Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, has been under pressure to rein in religious radicalism since the Sept. 11 attacks of 2001, where 15 of the 19 attackers were Saudi.
Last month, a court acquitted two commission members accused of causing the deaths of four youths in a car accident after chasing them on suspicion of being with unrelated women. With over 5,000 members, the men have wide powers to patrol public places to ensure unrelated men and women do not mix, uncover use of alcohol and drugs, and urge men to perform Muslim prayers in mosques. The body answers to King Abdullah but his half-brother Prince Nayef also has sway over it. Prince Nayef was appointed second deputy prime minister in March, a post that could strengthen his chances of becoming crown prince one day. Crown Prince Sultan is convalescing in Morocco after an operation this year in the United States. The veteran interior minister is seen as a hawk with strong ties to the religious establishment which is against raising women's role in public life. Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, has been under pressure to rein in religious radicalism since the Sept. 11 attacks of 2001, where 15 of the 19 attackers were Saudi.
h
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From: london
The "royals" Al Saud, have come under fire recently and Naif is kissing the religious peoples a$$. The religious people and various tribes are what got Al Saud to power in the first place and Al Saud would never dare to upset them.
Joined: Dec 2008
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From: Manchester
She did but the court wouldn't accept it because she wasn't a diplomat, plus back then you had to submit your diplomatic itinerary in order for your diplomatic status to be respected.
Nevertheless, diplomatic immunity was never principally introduced to allow corrupt people to get away with crime.
Just last month I think another Saudi national (with diplomatic status) got in trouble with the Canadian police for starting a highway police chase and eventually injuring a policeman by ramming his car into a police vehicle. The Canadians made a formal request to Saudi to revoke his immunity so they could lock him up. Story here.
Nevertheless, diplomatic immunity was never principally introduced to allow corrupt people to get away with crime.
Just last month I think another Saudi national (with diplomatic status) got in trouble with the Canadian police for starting a highway police chase and eventually injuring a policeman by ramming his car into a police vehicle. The Canadians made a formal request to Saudi to revoke his immunity so they could lock him up. Story here.
Last edited by Mike.Park; 18th June 2009 at 13:39.
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From: Manchester
I think that you'll find these are two different ladies
- In 2001, Sheikha Buniah al-Saud, the niece of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, was being held without bond at the Orange County Jail for beating Memet Ismiyati, her Indonesian maid.
- In 1995, Sheikha Maha al-Sudairi, wife of the heir to the throne, was accused of beating a servant in Orange County who stole $200,000 from her.
