Columbia: A US court has issued summons for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) for a lawsuit by a former top Saudi intelligence agent who was reportedly targeted in a foiled assassination attempt. The summons was issued on Friday by the US District Court for the District of Columbia. Saad al-Jabri had filed the lawsuit on Thursday accusing Prince Mohammed of sending a hit squad to Canada to try and kill him.
Al-Jabri who lives in Canada claimed that MBS is targeting him for his close ties with the US intelligence community and deep knowledge of the prince’s activities.
Saudi Arabia has issued Interpol red notices seeking al-Jabri’s return. However, the agency dismissed them terming them as political. Accusing the former senior intelligence officer of corruption the Kingdom has urged other countries to send al-Jabri back.
As reported by Al-Jazeera, in addition to Mohammed bin Salman, the summons named 12 people. The summons read “If you fail to respond, judgment by default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint”.
Al-Jabri in the suit filed against MBS alleged that the latter had ordered the detention of two of al-Jabri’s children. They have gone missing from their home in the capital Riyadh in mid-March. He further alleged that in an effort to bait him back to Saudi Arabia to be killed; his other relatives have also been arrested and tortured.
Bruce Fein, a former US associate deputy attorney general said that Mohammed bin Salman will now vigorously lobby President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to issue a letter of suggestion immunity. The letter would ask the court to dismiss the case saying it will interfere with the foreign relations of the US and relations with a head of state or high-level officials.