Alwaght- Saudi Arabia has detained Sabih al-Masri a Palestinian businessman and the chairman of Jordan's largest lender Arab Bank, family sources and friends said on Saturday, Reuters reported.
Masri’s detention, which follows the biggest purge of the Saudi kingdom’s affluent elite in its modern history, has sent shockwaves through business circles in Jordan and the Palestinian territories, where the billionaire has major investments.
A Saudi citizen of Palestinian origin, al-Masri was detained last Tuesday hours before he was planning to leave after he chaired meetings of companies he owns, according to the sources. He is the founder of Saudi Astra Group, which has wide interests in diversified industries ranging from agro-industry to telecommunications, construction and mining across the region.
"Masri was heading to the airport and they told him to stay where you are and they picked him up,” said a source familiar with the matter who asked not to be named.
The Saudi authorities did not respond to requests for comment, while Masri could not be reached for comment.
His confidants had warned him not to travel to the Saudi capital after mass arrests of Saudi royals, ministers and businessmen in early November, the sources said.
A source close to the family later said that “while Masri is currently restricted from leaving Saudi Arabia, no official charges have been filed against him.”
Jordanian mediators’ attempts to reach out to Saudi authorities was said to have been failed because Masri holds a Saudi citizenship.
Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh turned into a prison for hundreds of Saudi royals and businessmen critical of the crown prince’s policies under the guise of an “anti-corruption campaign.” There are reports that bin Salman is blackmailing the detainees to hand over to the state part of their wealth before being released.
