Former Saudi official accuses crown Prince Mohammed of forging king’s signature to launch Yemen war

Al-Jabri, who currently lives in exile in Canada, has been embroiled in a prolonged dispute with the Saudi government. His two children remain imprisoned in what he describes as an attempt to coerce his return to Saudi Arabia.

He alleges that the crown prince seeks to have him assassinated, stating, “He planned for my assassination. He will not rest until he sees me dead. I have no doubt about that”, according to a report by AP.

Describing himself as “a father doing everything possible to secure the release of his children,” al-Jabri emphasized that he is not a dissident but a former high-ranking official dedicated to safeguarding Saudi Arabia.

He claimed that a credible source within the Saudi Interior Ministry informed him that Prince Mohammed, who was then the defense minister, had signed the war decree in place of King Salman.

Al-Jabri also recounted a disagreement over the Yemen war strategy during a meeting chaired by Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, the then-Interior Minister.

The original plan, which had been coordinated with the Obama administration, called for an aerial bombardment campaign rather than a ground invasion.

However, al-Jabri said, the crown prince overruled this plan with a forged royal order authorizing a ground operation.

The devastating war in Yemen, which began in 2015, has claimed over 150,000 lives and triggered a severe humanitarian crisis. Despite initial assurances from Prince Mohammed that the conflict would be short-lived, it has dragged on for nearly a decade.

Exiled Saudi intelligence official Saad al-Jabri has made explosive allegations, accusing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of forging his father’s signature to initiate the war.

The Saudi government has dismissed al-Jabri as a “discredited former official,” while the US State Department has declined to comment.

Al-Jabri’s claims come as he desperately seeks the release of his two children, who remain imprisoned in Saudi Arabia. He has expressed frustration over the ongoing feud, saying, “I had no option but to speak out for the well-being of my children and my country, as staying quiet has only made matters worse”, as reported by AP.