Did Saudi king's son Mohammed bin Salman plot midnight 'coup' to oust uncle Mohammed bin Nayef ?

At first, Nayef refused. But as the night wore on, the prince, a diabetic who suffers from the effects of a 2009 assassination attempt by a suicide bomber, grew tired.

Amid diplomatic tensions in the Middle East a sensational report has emerged that Saudi king's son Mohammed bin Salman had plotted midnight 'coup' to oust his uncle Mohammed bin Nayef to become crown prince.

New York Times reports about what might have happened on the night before Mohammed bin Salman (30) was announced as King on June 21.

On the night of June 20, a group of senior princes and security officials gathered at the Safa Palace in Mecca after being informed that King Salman wanted to see them, NYT reported as told by US officials and associates of the royal family,

It was near the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month when Saudis were preoccupied with religious duties and many royals had gathered in Mecca before traveling abroad for the Eid al-Fitr holiday. That made it advantageous for a change, analysts said, like a coup on Christmas Eve.

Before midnight, Mohammed bin Nayef (57) was told he was going to meet the king and was led into another room, where royal court officials took away his phones and pressured him to give up his posts as crown prince and interior minister, according to US officials and an associate of the royal family.

At first, Nayef refused. But as the night wore on, the prince, a diabetic who suffers from the effects of a 2009 assassination attempt by a suicide bomber, grew tired.

Meanwhile, royal court officials called members of the Allegiance Council, a body of princes who are supposed to approve changes to the line of succession. Some were told that Mohammed bin Nayef had a drug problem and was unfit to be king.

Since the assassination attempt on him in 2009, Nayef had experienced lingering pain and shown signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. His condition led him to take medication that some friends worried he had become addicted to.

For years, close friends of Mohammed bin Nayef had expressed concern about his health, noting that since the assassination attempt, he had experienced lingering pain and shown signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. His condition led him to take medication that some friends worried he had become addicted to.

Also, One US official and one adviser to a Saudi royal said Mohammed bin Nayef opposed the embargo on Qatar, a stand that probably accelerated his ouster.

OneIndia News