Turki bin Abdullah Al Saud (born 1971)

Turki bin Abdullah Al Saud (Arabic: الأمير تركي بن عبد الله آل سعود) (born 21 October 1971) is the seventh son of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.[1] He served as deputy governor and then, governor of Riyadh Province from 2013 to 29 January 2015. He was one of the 11 princes detained in November 2017 by Mohammad bin Salman as a part of his anti-corruption drive on accusations of corruption in the Riyadh Metro project and taking advantage of his influence to award contracts to his own companies.[2] As of June 2021 he was still in detention.

Turki bin Abdullah Al Saud
Governor of Riyadh Province
In office14 May 2014 – 29 January 2015
PredecessorKhalid bin Bandar Al Saud
SuccessorFaisal bin Bandar Al Saud
Monarch
Deputy Governor of Riyadh Province
In office14 February 2013 – 14 May 2014
PredecessorMuhammad bin Saad
MonarchKing Abdullah
Born (1971-10-21) 21 October 1971
SpouseHala bint Khalid bin Sultan Al Saud (divorced)
Names
Turki bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman bin Faisal Al Saud
HouseAl Saud
FatherKing Abdullah
MotherTathi bint Mishan Al Faisal Al Jarba
Alma materKing Faisal Air Academy
University of Wales

Early life and education

Turki bin Abdullah was born on 21 October 1971.[3][4] He is the seventh son of King Abdullah.[5][6][7] His mother is Tathi bint Mishan Al Faisal Al Jarba, a member of the Iraqi branch of the Shammar tribe.[8] He has six blood siblings, including Prince Mishaal and Princess Oraib, wife of Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Salman who has been in detention since early 2018 together with his father.[9][10]

Prince Turki began his higher education at King Faisal Air Academy.[4] Then he went to the United States to continue his education, and trained at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.[4] He was also trained at King Fahd Air Base in Taif.[4] Then he attended a course of command and staff at Joint Command College in the United Kingdom and received a master's degree in military science.[11] He also holds a master's degree in strategic studies, which he obtained from the University of Wales.[11] As of 2013 Prince Turki was a PhD candidate in international strategic studies at the University of Leeds.[11]

Career

Turki bin Abdullah was a military officer and an F-15 pilot at the Royal Saudi Air Force.[12] In October 1997 he was promoted to the rank of captain pilot.[4] Then he was promoted to the rank of colonel.[13] In July 2006 Prince Turki was decorated with the rank of lieutenant colonel pilot.[14] Then Prince Turki worked at King Abdulaziz Air Base in Dhahran as the commander of Squadron 92, 3rd air wing with a rank of group captain.[4][11] In 2010 Prince Turki began to serve as the commander of the Red Flag-4 exercise group.[15]

In addition, Prince Turki was the head of the board of directors of the Saudi Equestrian Fund.[16][17] He also has several business investments in Saudi Arabia, including an aviation company named Al Obayya Corp.[8][18]

Prince Turki was appointed deputy governor of the Riyadh province on 14 February 2013, replacing Muhammad bin Saad in the post.[19] Therefore, he became deputy of the governor, Khalid bin Bandar, who was also appointed the same day.[20][21] On 14 May 2014 he was appointed governor of Riyadh at rank of minister.[22] Prince Turki's term as governor ended on 29 January 2015 when Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud was appointed to the post.[23]

Controversy

In 2005 Prince Turki bin Abdullah co-founded the PetroSaudi, a private oil company. The company grew from drilling and oilfield management into trading, opening offices in London's Mayfair district with pictures of Saudi royalty and decked with national flags.[24] The company is embroiled in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal. Prince Turki bin Abdullah is claimed to be the Saudi royal who gifted Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak $700 million.[25]

Arrest
Main article: 2017 Saudi Arabian purge

On 4 November 2017 Turki bin Abdullah Al Saud was detained on accusations of corruption in the Riyadh Metro project and taking advantage of his influence to award contracts to his own companies in a "corruption crackdown" conducted by a new royal anti-corruption committee in Saudi Arabia.[26][27]

As of September 2020 Prince Turki was still in captivity.[10]

Achievements

Prince Turki was one of the key characters for Riyadh's metro creation.[28][29][30]

Prince Turki was an active member of King Abdulaziz Foundation,[31] as well as Prince Muhammed bin Abdulaziz Hospital in Riyadh.[32] He assisted in the "intellectual security" inauguration ceremony alongside the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.[33]

Personal life

Prince Turki was the son-in-law of Prince Khalid bin Sultan. He married Hala bint Khalid on 14 January 2010.[34][35] They have a daughter.[36]

References
  1. "The House of Saud - A view of the Modern Saudi Dynasty". PBS. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  2. "The Saudi Purge: The Real Reason Behind Mohammed Bin Salman's Unprecedented Crackdown". Haaretz. 8 November 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  3. Paul Aarts; Carolien Roelants (2016). "The perils of the transfer of power in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". Contemporary Arab Affairs. 9 (4): 596, 606. doi:10.1080/17550912.2016.1238110.
  4. "New Emir of Riyadh a decorated military officer". Saudi Gazette. 14 February 2013. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  5. "King Appoints New Governor of Riyadh". Riyadh Bureau. SPA. 14 February 2013. Archived from the original on 4 January 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  6. "Saudi king names Prince Khalid bin Bandar as new Riyadh governor". Middle East Online. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  7. "Art tickets, Deputy Governor of the capital". Aleqt. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  8. Sharif Sabri (2001). The House of Saud in Commerce: A Study of Royal Entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia. New Delhi: I. S. Publication. pp. 97, 151. ISBN 81-901254-0-0.
  9. "محليات صور نادرة للملك عبد الله وحياته". Mz.net (in Arabic). 15 March 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  10. "هكذا يعبر مئات الأمراء من آل سعود عن رفضهم لابن سلمان". Arabi 21 (in Arabic). 25 August 2020. Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  11. "Prince Turki bin Abdullah bin Abdulaziz's Biography" (Press Release (SPA)). Riyadh Principality. 16 February 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  12. Joseph A. Kéchichian (February 2000). "Saudi Arabia's will to power". Middle East Policy. VII (2).
  13. "Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Arrives in Jeddah Coming from abroad". Al Riyadh. Jeddah. SPA. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  14. "The King Decorates Prince Turki Bin Abdullah With New Rank". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 9 July 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  15. "'Red Flag-4' exercise". Saudi Gazette. 17 July 2010. Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  16. "Saudi Equestrian Board of directors". Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  17. "King Honors Saudi Knights for London Olympiad achievements". Al Riyadh. 8 November 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  18. "Groen Brothers Aviation - JV With HRH Prince Turki of Saudi Royal Family Receives - Saudi Governmental Approval". Market News Publishing. New York City. 29 August 2001. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  19. "Saudi king named Khalid bin Bandar a new governor of Riyadh". Al Arabiya. 14 February 2013. Archived from the original on 15 February 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  20. "Prince Khalid bin Bandar Named Governor of Riyadh". US-Saudi Arabian Business Council. 14 February 2013. Archived from the original on 9 October 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  21. Fahd Al Ziabi (15 February 2013). "New Riyadh Governor: Prince Khalid bin Bandar". Asharq Al-Awsat. Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  22. "Saudi king appoints son as Riyadh Province governor". Arabian Business. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  23. "King Salman makes appointments". Royal Embassy, Washington DC. 29 January 2015. Archived from the original on 2 February 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
  24. "1MDB-linked Prince Turki among those nabbed for corruption in Saudi Arabia". The Edge Markets. 6 November 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  25. "Malaysia's prime minister will call an election soon". The Economist. 8 November 2017.
  26. "Saudi Arabia princes detained, ministers dismissed". Al Jazeera. 4 November 2017.
  27. Stephen Kalin; Katie Paul (5 November 2017). "Future Saudi king tightens grip on power with arrests including Prince Alwaleed". Reuters. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  28. "Exclusive Interview: Prince Turki says metro to change face of Riyadh". Arab News. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  29. "New $22.5B Riyadh Metro Project Unveiled in Saudi Arabia". PM World Journal. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  30. "Riyadh Metro project unveiled". Riyadh Metro. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  31. "محاضرة "رسائل أئمة الدولة السعودية" بحضور تركي بن عبدالله.. اليوم". Al Sharq Al Awsat. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  32. "Second Deputy Prime Minister Inaugurates Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Hospital in Riyadh". Ministry of Health. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  33. "محاضرة "رسائل أئمة الدولة السعودية" بحضور تركي بن عبدالله. أمير الرياض: الأمن الفكري مطلب مهم لاستقرار الشعوب والمجتمعات الإسلامية". Al Riyadh (in Arabic). Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  34. Talal Kapoor (13 February 2010). "A Princely Rivalry: Clash Of The Titans?". Datarabia. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  35. "جريدة الرياض: زواج الأمير تركي بن عبدالله من كريمة الأمير خالد بن سلطان". Al Riyadh (in Arabic). 14 January 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  36. "تعرف على أسماء أبناء الملك عبد الله الـ 36.. أكبرهم متعب الأول وأصغرهم الأمير بندر". El Balad (in Arabic). 23 January 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
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