Faisal bin Musad
Encyclopedia
Prince Faisal bin Musaid bin Abdul-Aziz (April 4, 1944 – June 18, 1975) was the assassin
and nephew of King Faisal
.
.
In 1966, his brother Khaled allegedly died in a Riyadh protest against the introduction of television. The details of his death are disputed. Some reports allege that he actually died resisting arrest outside his own home. No investigation over his death was ever initiated. Faisal had another brother, Prince Bandar, and a sister, Princess Al Jawhara.
. He went to San Francisco State College and the University of Colorado
. He was described by his peers as "quiet, likable, notably unstudious young man". University of Colorado Professor Edward Rozek, who had taught him in three comparative government courses, described him as "academically a D and a C student" and his motivation for his future assassination "must have been drugs".
In 1970, he was arrested in Boulder, Colorado
for selling LSD
and hashish. In May 1970, the district attorney dropped the charges. Afterward, Faisal took graduate courses in political science
at Berkeley
. He did not finish his degree and he left the United States after being granted diplomatic immunity
.
" as positive outcomes "not available with the previous ruler [King Faisal]". She stated her boyfriend was a "perfect gentleman who was proud of his family and his country".
. For unknown reasons, he also went to East Germany.
When he came back to Saudi Arabia, Saudi authorities seized his passport because of his troubles abroad. He began teaching at Riyadh University and kept in touch with Christine Surma.
, where King Faisal was holding a majlis
. He joined a Kuwait
i delegation and lined up to meet the king. The king recognized his nephew and bent his head forward, so that the younger Faisal could kiss the king's nose in a sign of respect. The prince took out a revolver from his robe and shot the King twice in the head. His third shot missed and he threw the gun away. King Faisal fell to the floor. Bodyguards with gold swords and submachine guns arrested the prince. The king was quickly rushed to a hospital but doctors failed in saving him. Before dying, King Faisal ordered that the assassin not be executed. Saudi television crews captured the entire assassination on camera.
He was deemed mentally sane to be tried in court for his crime. He was found guilty of murder. Hours after the verdict, he was publicly decapitated in Riyadh.
will, then it would happen". Arab media implied that the prince had been a tool of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
Beirut newspapers offered three different explanations for the attack. An-Nahar
reported that the attack may have been possible vengeance for the dethroning of King Saud
because Prince Faisal was scheduled to marry Saud's daughter — Princess Sita — in the same week. An-Nahar also reported that King Faisal had ignored his repeated complaints that his $3500 monthly allowance was insufficient and this may have caused the assassination. Al-Bayrak reported that according to reliable Saudi sources, King Faisal prohibited him from leaving the country because of his excessive alcohol and drug consumption overseas and the attack may have been a retaliation against the ban. It is a commonly-held, but unsubstantiated, popular belief in Saudi Arabia that he was a pawn in a Western conspiracy to assassinate King Faisal.
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
and nephew of King Faisal
Faisal of Saudi Arabia
Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud was King of Saudi Arabia from 1964 to 1975. As king, he is credited with rescuing the country's finances and implementing a policy of modernization and reform, while his main foreign policy themes were pan-Islamic Nationalism, anti-Communism, and pro-Palestinian...
.
Family
Faisal's father was Prince Musaid. His mother was Watfa, a daughter of Muhammad bin Talal, the 12th (and last) Rashidi amir. He was born in RiyadhRiyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
.
In 1966, his brother Khaled allegedly died in a Riyadh protest against the introduction of television. The details of his death are disputed. Some reports allege that he actually died resisting arrest outside his own home. No investigation over his death was ever initiated. Faisal had another brother, Prince Bandar, and a sister, Princess Al Jawhara.
Education
Faisal studied in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He went to San Francisco State College and the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
. He was described by his peers as "quiet, likable, notably unstudious young man". University of Colorado Professor Edward Rozek, who had taught him in three comparative government courses, described him as "academically a D and a C student" and his motivation for his future assassination "must have been drugs".
In 1970, he was arrested in Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
for selling LSD
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide, abbreviated LSD or LSD-25, also known as lysergide and colloquially as acid, is a semisynthetic psychedelic drug of the ergoline family, well known for its psychological effects which can include altered thinking processes, closed and open eye visuals, synaesthesia, an...
and hashish. In May 1970, the district attorney dropped the charges. Afterward, Faisal took graduate courses in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. He did not finish his degree and he left the United States after being granted diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments that ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws...
.
Christine Surma
His girlfriend was Christine Surma, a blond part-time movie actress turned auctioneer who played in Bite of the Cobra. She was 26 at the time of the assassination. Surma viewed the Saudi's interest "in achieving peace with IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
" as positive outcomes "not available with the previous ruler [King Faisal]". She stated her boyfriend was a "perfect gentleman who was proud of his family and his country".
After the United States
After leaving the United States, he went to BeirutBeirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
. For unknown reasons, he also went to East Germany.
When he came back to Saudi Arabia, Saudi authorities seized his passport because of his troubles abroad. He began teaching at Riyadh University and kept in touch with Christine Surma.
Royal Palace shooting
On March 25, 1975 he went to the Royal Palace in RiyadhRiyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
, where King Faisal was holding a majlis
Majlis
' , is an Arabic term meaning "a place of sitting", used in the context of "council", to describe various types of special gatherings among common interest groups be it administrative, social or religious in countries with linguistic or cultural connections to Islamic countries...
. He joined a Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
i delegation and lined up to meet the king. The king recognized his nephew and bent his head forward, so that the younger Faisal could kiss the king's nose in a sign of respect. The prince took out a revolver from his robe and shot the King twice in the head. His third shot missed and he threw the gun away. King Faisal fell to the floor. Bodyguards with gold swords and submachine guns arrested the prince. The king was quickly rushed to a hospital but doctors failed in saving him. Before dying, King Faisal ordered that the assassin not be executed. Saudi television crews captured the entire assassination on camera.
Imprisonment and execution
Initial reports described Faisal bin Musaid as "mentally deranged." He was moved to a Riyadh prison.He was deemed mentally sane to be tried in court for his crime. He was found guilty of murder. Hours after the verdict, he was publicly decapitated in Riyadh.
Motives
He had undergone psychiatric treatment in Beirut, where he had blamed his uncle for the death of his brother. His involvement with drugs was cited as one of the motivations in the assassination. Saudi officials began to state that the prince's actions were deliberate and planned. Rumors suggested that the prince had told his mother about his assassination plans who in turn told King Faisal. King Faisal had responded that "if it was Allah'sAllah
Allah is a word for God used in the context of Islam. In Arabic, the word means simply "God". It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and...
will, then it would happen". Arab media implied that the prince had been a tool of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
Beirut newspapers offered three different explanations for the attack. An-Nahar
An-Nahar
An-Nahar , is the leading Arabic-language daily newspaper in Lebanon.It was first published on August 4, 1933 as a four-page, hand-set paper. The paper provided a platform for various free thinkers to express their views during the years of the Syria occupation of Lebanon. The paper can be best...
reported that the attack may have been possible vengeance for the dethroning of King Saud
Saud of Saudi Arabia
Saud bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud was King of Saudi Arabia from 1953 to 1964. He was removed from power by Faisal because of Saud's mismanagement and waste. He was the eldest surviving son of Ibn Saud and became Crown Prince in 1933. He died in exile in Greece.-Early life:Saud was born in 1902 in Kuwait...
because Prince Faisal was scheduled to marry Saud's daughter — Princess Sita — in the same week. An-Nahar also reported that King Faisal had ignored his repeated complaints that his $3500 monthly allowance was insufficient and this may have caused the assassination. Al-Bayrak reported that according to reliable Saudi sources, King Faisal prohibited him from leaving the country because of his excessive alcohol and drug consumption overseas and the attack may have been a retaliation against the ban. It is a commonly-held, but unsubstantiated, popular belief in Saudi Arabia that he was a pawn in a Western conspiracy to assassinate King Faisal.