US lawyers assigned to defend MbS in lawsuit filed by former Saudi official: report

Bin Salman, colloquially known as MbS, his manager Badr Al-Asaker, his advisor Saud Al-Qahtani and former Saudi Deputy Chief of Intelligence Ahmed Asiri will be represented by American lawyers in the US case.

Al-Jabri, a former aide of former Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, is thought to hold compromising intelligence on MbS, the kingdom's de-facto ruler.  

Al-Jabri filed the US lawsuit in August, accusing MbS of sending members of his 50-person kill team to murder him in Canada two weeks after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi embassy of Istanbul.

The US District Court for the District of Columbia issued the summons shortly after, notifying MbS of the lawsuit.

Saudi accounts loyal to the crown prince considered that the move to appoint "accomplished US lawyers" would be "catastrophic" for Al Jabri.

Al-Jabri is accused by Riyadh for embezzeling billions of dollars in state funds but critics say the accusation politically-motivated.

In recent months, Saudi authorities have reportedly arrested some of Al-Jabri's relatives and family members, including two of his children – 21-year old Omar and 20-year old Sarah – to try to force his return to the kingdom from exile in Canada.

Shortly after coming to power in 2017, MbS launched a purge targeting a number of high-profile officials and businessmen in the kingdom.

The mass 'anti-corruption' arrest campaigns are widely seen as an attempt by the crown prince to consolidate his power within the kingdom.

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