Bomb kills Saudi Intel Chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan

[Peter Lemkin]

The bottom line; no one knows, because no one is talking.

Yeah.....that leaves us about where we were some weeks ago.....not sure of anything re: Bandar. :loco: Other intelligence agencies likely know....but have their own reasons for not confirming or denying through the media, political spokespeople or directly. All very strange...seems to me, something VERY BIG is happening behind the scenes in the Middle East now. I somehow think the result will not be for the good.... The Middle East always has been the most likely 'tinder box' to start a larger to World War. Let's hope not. Israel has also been very silent about Syria and Bandar...which makes me wonder what they have up their sleeve. Spooky. While some of the analysis above is good, it is all speculation at this point. Both Bandar's whereabouts and what is really happening in Syria [other than many dying and being make homeless, etc.] is totally unclear and getting less clear, at the moment.

[Magda Hassan]

Still no sightings of the elusive and possibly dead Prince Bandar in all of 10 months now. I'm posting this here now because it is interesting and Bandar used to be the long time Defense Minister but he has not been nominated for the new vacancy I note:

On April 20, 2013, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah dismissed Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khaled bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz (63 years). He was immediately replaced by Prince Fahd Bin Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Abdul Rahman (pictured).This is the first time that a member of the royal family is given the sack. No information seeped out about the reasons for this decision.The post of Defense Minister is held by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Although prone to dementia, he exerts influence through London-based daily Asharq al-Awsat, owned by one of his sons. His former deputy, Prince Khaled bin Sultan, is one of the leaders of the powerful "Sudeiri clan," like himself.Prince Khaled bin Sultan played an important role in the 1991 "Desert Storm" operation. On the death of his father in 2011, he became Deputy Defense Minister. He owes some of his influence to his personally-owned daily newspaper Al-Hayat, which like its main rival Asharq al-Awsat is headquartered in London. In 2009, he engaged in the Yemeni conflict with no significant results.One of Prince Fahd bin Abdullah's sons is married to a daughter of Prince Khaled bin Sultan.

http://www.voltairenet.org/article178465.html

[Peter Lemkin]

Poor 'ol W has lost one of his best buddies. His mansion on Red Mt. in Aspen remains empty. No one comments on this in S.A. nor the MSM or any government...it is all very strange [and no doubt deep]......

[Adele Edisen]

I don't know if this means anything, but my first thought was that the FBI's report after 9/11 was the publication of the names of most of the 'pilots and hijackers' of the 9/11 airplames who were Saudis...???? Their identities were questioned as people with the same names, in many cases, were alive in Saudi Arabia...?? Does anyone remember any further clarificatrion?

Adele

[Peter Lemkin]

I just looked and still can not confirm or deny he is alive and/or still head of Saudi Intelligence...the man is simply 'off the books'.....disappeared completely!

Biography for Bandar bin Sultan bin Abd-al-Aziz Al Saud

Name: Bandar bin Sultan bin Abd-al-Aziz Al Saud
Title: Head of General Intelligence Directorate ( 19 JULY 2012)
Date of Birth: 1949-03-02
Place of Birth: Taif, Saudi Arabia
Nationality: Saudi Arabia
General: HRH Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Born 1949 in Taif. His Royal highness graduated from the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell UK (1968), he served in the Royal Saudi Air Force for seventeen years. He received pilot training in the United Kingdom and the United States, and has flown numerous fighter aircraft including the JP 3-4, T-38, T-33, F-5, F-53/55, F-102, and the F-15. During his seventeen-year militarycareer he attained the rank of lieutenant colonel, commanded fighter squadrons at three RSAF bases, and undertook program management responsibilities in the major RSAF modernization project Peace Hawk. Prince Bandar completed his postgraduate work in several U.S. military schools including staff courses with the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, and with the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair in Washington, DC He received his master's degree in international public policy from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, Washington, DC, in 1980. Prince Bandar was appointed Ambassador to the United States by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud on September 27, 1983 and presented his credentials to President Ronald Reagan on October 24, 1983. On August 7, 1995, he was promoted to the rank of Minister. During his tenure in Washington, Prince Bandar served as the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps. Royal Order in 2005 toappoint Prince Bandar bin Sultan as Secretary-General of the National Security Council at the rank of Minister. Royal Order in 2012 to appoint Prince Bandar bin Sultan as Chief of General Intelligence along with his current post as Secretary General of National Security Council at the rank of Minister.
Family Background: Prince Bandar is a son of Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, Bandar's mother, Khizaran, was a dark-skinned sixteen-year-old commoner from the Asir Province, one of the southernmost points in Saudi Arabia. She could not read or write; she later taught herself. Bandar, who sees her regularly, says that she was a concubine. He lived with his mother and his aunt, and had little contact with his father when he was very young. Though Bandar spent his early years living apart from his father, when he was eleven he and his mother were both invited to live with the royal family. At the time, the young prince was not considered one of the most promising Saud sons, but his grandmother saw that the boy was sharp and determined to create his own opportunities. Later, as a young man, he also won the attention of his uncle, King Fahd
Spouse: Name: Haifa Bint Faisal Status: current
Education: The Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, USA Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair, Washington, DC, USA 1980 Master's degree in international public policy from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, Washington, DC, USA 1968 Graduated from the British Royal Air Force College at Cranwell, UK
Professional Career: 2012 Head of General Intelligence. King Abdullah appointed Bandar bin Sultan as the new head of the General Intelligence Directorate (GID), the Saudi external intelligence service, on July 19, with a view to expanding the kingdom's covert operations in the region. The two objectives he was given were to hasten the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria and to provide a counterweight to Iranian expansionism in the Middle East 2005- Secretary-General of the National Security Council 1983-2005 Ambassador to the USA, Washington DC, USA 1995 promoted to the rank of Minister 1982-83 Defense attaché, Saudi embassy, Washington DC, USA 1968-82 Lieutenant colonel, Royal Saudi Air Force, Saudi Arabia
Languages: Arabic English

[Magda Hassan]

I don't know if this means anything, but my first thought was that the FBI's report after 9/11 was the publication of the names of most of the 'pilots and hijackers' of the 9/11 airplames who were Saudis...???? Their identities were questioned as people with the same names, in many cases, were alive in Saudi Arabia...?? Does anyone remember any further clarificatrion?

Adele

I am certain he would have worked closely with Bush in the exit of the Bin Laden and other important Saudi family members while all flights were grounded in the immediate few days after 911.

I do remember what you are referring to about the various supposed hijackers still being alive. Or using the names of people still alive.

[Magda Hassan]

I just looked and still can not confirm or deny he is alive and/or still head of Saudi Intelligence...the man is simply 'off the books'.....disappeared completely!

Yep. Very intriguing. And he is normally not so shy....So, is he dead? Recovering from injuries? Banished? On a secret mission that is taking forever....? Long service leave? Why the secrecy?

[Peter Lemkin]

I just looked and still can not confirm or deny he is alive and/or still head of Saudi Intelligence...the man is simply 'off the books'.....disappeared completely!

Yep. Very intriguing. And he is normally not so shy....So, is he dead? Recovering from injuries? Banished? On a secret mission that is taking forever....? Long service leave? Why the secrecy?

No, in the past he was very 'out there' in public; and even as the head of an intelligence agency, one would think one would be able to confirm if the man is still alive or not...I can not! His giant estate in Aspen, Colorado is still there - empty but for caretakers who 'ain't saying anything. The Saudi government seems to not answer any questions about him and the MSM seems not to ask them....

Yes, he likely had something to do with the removal of bin Ladens and other Saudis just after 9-11-01, but many of them [and he] lived again in the USA after that. The last he was heard from/of was being recalled to Saudi Arabia, apparently to become head of the Saudi Intelligence agency....spooky.

On an official Saudi governmental website and dated with TODAY'S date, he is listed as still the head of Saudi Intelligence......although no one has seen him or heard him or even has his words or thoughts been printed or otherwise made public since he took the position.....

His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Sultan

His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz is Chief of General Intelligence and Secretary-General of the National Security Council.

Prince Bandar was appointed Chief of General Intelligence by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on July 19, 2012 and has served as Secretary-General of the National Security Council since October 16, 2005. Prior to his appointment, Prince Bandar served as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States of America from October 24, 1983 to September 8, 2005.Prince Bandar was born in Saudi Arabia on March 2, 1949, at Taif, the summer capital of the Kingdom, the son of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation, and Inspector-General. He is married to Princess Haifa Bint Faisal. He has four sons and four daughters.
Prince Bandar was appointed Ambassador to the United States by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud on September 27, 1983 and presented his credentials to President Ronald Reagan on October 24, 1983. On August 7, 1995, he was promoted to the rank of Minister. During his tenure in Washington, Prince Bandar served as the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.
Prince Bandar graduated from the British Royal Air Force College at Cranwell, England, in 1968 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF). He received pilot training in the United Kingdom and the United States, and has flown numerous fighter aircraft including the JP 3-4, T-38, T-33, F-5, F-53/55, F-102, and the F-15. During his seventeen-year military career he attained the rank of lieutenant colonel, commanded fighter squadrons at three RSAF bases, and undertook program management responsibilities in the major RSAF modernization project Peace Hawk. In addition, Prince Bandar carried out special assignments in Washington, DC, during the debates between the U.S. administration and the Congress concerning the sale to Saudi Arabia of F-15s in 1978 and of AWACs in 1981. In 1982 he was assigned to Washington, DC, as the Kingdom's defense attaché.
Prince Bandar completed his postgraduate work in several U.S. military schools including staff courses with the Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, and with the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair in Washington, DC. He received his master's degree in international public policy from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, Washington, DC, in 1980.
As special envoy for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, Prince Bandar was involved in cease-fire negotiations in the Lebanese civil war, and has been instrumental in resolving a number of regional and international crises, such as the Lockerbie incident in 1999. He was the Saudi delegate in the Gulf Cooperation Council mission observing the 1991 Middle East peace talks in Madrid, and has been a regular member of the Kingdom's delegation to the United Nations General Assembly since 1984. Prince Bandar has been awarded many medals and decorations, including the Hawk Flying Medal of Aviation, the King Faisal Medal, and the King Abdulaziz Sash, as well as honors from other nations.

[Peter Lemkin]

Don't know how this fits in, but Former FBI Director Louis Freeh was working as legal council to Saudi Arabia's Prince Bandar, defending him in a corruption investigation launched by the U.S. Department of Justice four years ago. The investigation accused a British defense contractor of funneling billions of dollars in payments and gifts to Bandar so that he could buy himself an airplane (which he had painted in Dallas Cowboy colors) and refurbish his royal palaces. Watch Frontline's interview with Freeh here.

Freeh is a VERY interesting lawyer for Bandar to choose! Freeh stepped down in June 2001, long participating in FBI obstruction of any investigations of [Saudi and other] financial backing of Al Qaeda.

I can't locate if Freeh was Bandar's lawyer until he left the USA and disappeared - although on paper was appointed and still 'holds' the position of head of Saudi Intelligence, but it seems this was so. More and more he reminds me of another Saudi, Adnan Khashoggi, infamous multi-billionaire and arms dealer (and Iran-Contra criminal), who had the world's largest private boat, and once had hired Gorden Novel as his chief of Security...small world.

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[Carsten Wiethoff]

As of June 25, 2013 it is said that Kerry met Bandar bin Sultan in Jeddah (http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/2...ZD20130625)

In Jeddah, Kerry held discussions with Prince Saud and Saudi intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan, who coordinates the kingdom's efforts to topple Assad.
The discussions included Washington's plans for providing direct military support to General Salim Idriss of the Supreme Military Council, the military wing of Syria's main civilian opposition group.

See also http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/appt/2013/06/211105.htm