SAUDI ARABIA: King Salman ordered arrest of younger brother for failing to pledge allegiance to him, source reveals

A former adviser to the late King Abdullah, who still has connections to the royal court has revealed that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) ordered the arrest of his younger brother Prince Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz over his refusal to pledge allegiance to him.

Speaking with Al Jazeera on Friday, the former adviser said that Ahmed who was arrested alongside Mohammed bin Nayef, the former crown prince and interior minister does not want to pledge allegiance to his elder brother because the throne was his rightful place, based on their father’s will

“King Salman has summoned Ahmed to the palace every year to convince him to accept his son’s ascent to the throne,” said the former adviser, who wished to remain anonymous. “The last time this happened was last month.

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“But Ahmed refused to give bay’a [pledge allegiance] to MBS, saying the throne was his rightful place, based on their father’s will.”

He added: “Prince Mohammed feels that if he does not take the throne during Trump’s reign, he will never get the chance.”

The two senior royal family members were detained on Friday, according to the New York Times and other US media reports. There was no official comment from Saudi authorities.

Saudi experts and observers, including sources with connections to the royal palace, told Al Jazeera it remained unclear whether there had been a plot against MBS.

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