Nayef bin Abdul Aziz
Encyclopedia
Born =
Ta'if, Saudi Arabia
Nayef bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, also spelled Naif, (1933-) is the Crown Prince (as of October 27, 2011), First Deputy Prime Minister
and long time Minister of Interior
of Saudi Arabia
. He is a half-brother of King Abdullah
. He is one of the five surviving members of the Sudairi Seven
.
(religious leaders). In addition, he has read widely in politics, diplomacy, and security.
In 1953, at the age of 20, he became Governor of Riyadh. From 1954 to 1970, he served as Deputy Minister of the Interior. In 1970, King Faisal
promoted him to Minister of State for Internal Affairs
's assassination made then-Minister of Interior Prince Fahd
Crown Prince. Nayef replaced Fahd as Minister of Interior.
In December 1994, he ordered hundreds of terrorism-related arrests with the support of Prince Turki, head of Saudi intelligence services.
In November 2001, he issued all women in Saudi Arabia identity cards. Women were previously registered under their husband's or father's name.
In April 2001, he, not Foreign Minister Saud al Faisal
, went to Iran
as Saudi envoy in an unprecedented move.
After the September 11 attacks, he received U.S. criticism for not undertaking sufficient action against extremists.
In July 2003, Senator Charles Schumer
lobbied through Prince Bandar
to remove Nayef as Minister of Interior.
Between 2003 and 2006, he led Saudi's confrontation against al Qaeda, which sponsored a series of domestic attacks on expatriate housing compounds, oil infrastructure, and industrial facilities. His political stance was strengthened because of increased media exposure and the successful end to terrorist attacks.
In March 2011, during the 2011 Saudi Arabian protests
, 200 people who called for more information on their imprisoned relatives were denied a meeting with Nayef.
His career was propelled by his full-brother King Fahd
. Under Fahd, the Ministry of Interior became one of the most influential bureaucracies in Saudi Arabia. He served as a mediator in disputes between Fahd and Sultan. As Fahd's health deteriorated, his power gradually diminished as well. However, Nayef is currently the most influential of the Sudairi Seven
. He has delegated the day-to-day responsibilities of his ministry to Deputy Minister Prince Ahmed
and to his son, Prince Muhammad
.
In 2003, he "threatened to cancel certain business deals with the French government" if the narcotics investigation of Prince Nayef bin Sultan bin Fawwaz al-Shaalan
continued.
When meeting with US diplomats in 2009, he voiced support for aggressive activity against Iran after what he believed was a breach of the 2001 security agreement. He urged European nations to hand in terrorist suspects and asked for U.S. intercession. He said the most effective way to combat extremism was through Friday sermons.
He chaired many cabinet meetings when Abdullah and Sultan were away for health reasons. Critics said he was behind the cancellation of the nation's only film festival in the summer of 2009. In November 2010, he undertook all Hajj-related responsibities. In some government offices, his picture was added next to Abdul-Aziz, Abdullah and Sultan.
According to leaked cables
, he advocated a tougher approach than King Abdullah towards Yemeni
President Saleh
in 2009.
He was appointed Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and First Deputy Prime Minister by his half-brother King Abdullah on October 27, 2011, five days after the death of his brother, Crown Prince Sultan
. He also chairs the Supreme Committee on the Hajj and heads the Ministerial Committee on Morality and the Ministerial Oversight Committee on the World Trade Organization
.
As previously intimated he was appointed on October 27, 2011 to be Crown Prince
(heir presumptive
).
He is one of the most conservative forces in the Al Saud. In March 2009, he publicly stated that he saw no need for either elections or women in government.
He is said to be suffering from diabetes mellitus
and osteoporosis
.
Ta'if, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
Nayef bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, also spelled Naif, (1933-) is the Crown Prince (as of October 27, 2011), First Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some counties, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, but is significantly different, though both...
and long time Minister of Interior
Ministry of Interior (Saudi Arabia)
The Ministry of Interior is the responsible authority for national security of Saudi Arabia, Including Police divisions, Rescue and Civil Defense.-Aircraft inventory:! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft...
of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. He is a half-brother of King Abdullah
Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, is the King of Saudi Arabia. He succeeded to the throne on 1 August 2005 upon the death of his half-brother, King Fahd. When Crown Prince, he governed Saudi Arabia as regent from 1998 to 2005...
. He is one of the five surviving members of the Sudairi Seven
Sudairi Seven
The Sudairi Seven, also spelled Sudairy or Sudayri, is the commonly used name for a powerful alliance of seven full brothers and their descendants within the royal family of Saudi Arabia. They are also known as the Al Fahd . They are sometimes referred to as the Sudairi Clan or the Sudairi faction...
.
Early life and education
Nayef was born in Taif in 1933. He received his education at "The Princes School" and at the hands of senior ulemaUlema
Ulama , also spelt ulema, refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in the several fields of Islamic studies. They are best known as the arbiters of shari‘a law...
(religious leaders). In addition, he has read widely in politics, diplomacy, and security.
In 1953, at the age of 20, he became Governor of Riyadh. From 1954 to 1970, he served as Deputy Minister of the Interior. In 1970, 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...
promoted him to Minister of State for Internal Affairs
Timeline
In March 1975, King FaisalFaisal 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...
's assassination made then-Minister of Interior Prince Fahd
Fahd of Saudi Arabia
Fahd bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, was King of Saudi Arabia from 1982 to 2005...
Crown Prince. Nayef replaced Fahd as Minister of Interior.
In December 1994, he ordered hundreds of terrorism-related arrests with the support of Prince Turki, head of Saudi intelligence services.
In November 2001, he issued all women in Saudi Arabia identity cards. Women were previously registered under their husband's or father's name.
In April 2001, he, not Foreign Minister Saud al Faisal
Saud bin Faisal bin Abdul Aziz
Saud bin Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud , also known as Saud Al Faisal, has been the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia since 1975. He is the world's longest-serving Foreign Minister....
, went to Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
as Saudi envoy in an unprecedented move.
After the September 11 attacks, he received U.S. criticism for not undertaking sufficient action against extremists.
In July 2003, Senator Charles Schumer
Charles Schumer
Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a...
lobbied through Prince Bandar
Bandar bin Sultan
Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud is a prince of the Saudi royal family and was Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States from 1983 to 2005. He was appointed Secretary-General of the National Security Council by King Abdullah on 16 October 2005...
to remove Nayef as Minister of Interior.
Between 2003 and 2006, he led Saudi's confrontation against al Qaeda, which sponsored a series of domestic attacks on expatriate housing compounds, oil infrastructure, and industrial facilities. His political stance was strengthened because of increased media exposure and the successful end to terrorist attacks.
In March 2011, during the 2011 Saudi Arabian protests
2011 Saudi Arabian protests
The 2011 Saudi Arabian protests have been influenced by the Arab Spring that started with the 2011 Tunisian revolution. One of the main online organisers of a planned 11 March "Day of Rage", Faisal Ahmed Abdul-Ahad , was alleged to have been killed by Saudi security forces on 2 March, by which time...
, 200 people who called for more information on their imprisoned relatives were denied a meeting with Nayef.
Influence
He had members of the Ministry of Interior placed in all overseas embassies.His career was propelled by his full-brother King Fahd
Fahd of Saudi Arabia
Fahd bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, was King of Saudi Arabia from 1982 to 2005...
. Under Fahd, the Ministry of Interior became one of the most influential bureaucracies in Saudi Arabia. He served as a mediator in disputes between Fahd and Sultan. As Fahd's health deteriorated, his power gradually diminished as well. However, Nayef is currently the most influential of the Sudairi Seven
Sudairi Seven
The Sudairi Seven, also spelled Sudairy or Sudayri, is the commonly used name for a powerful alliance of seven full brothers and their descendants within the royal family of Saudi Arabia. They are also known as the Al Fahd . They are sometimes referred to as the Sudairi Clan or the Sudairi faction...
. He has delegated the day-to-day responsibilities of his ministry to Deputy Minister Prince Ahmed
Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz
Ahmed bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud is the youngest of the Sudairi Seven of Saudi Arabia's royal family. He has been the Deputy Minister of Interior of Saudi Arabia since 1975...
and to his son, Prince Muhammad
Muhammad bin Nayef
Prince Mohammad bin Naif bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud is the Saudi Deputy Interior Minister in charge of Counter-Terrorism. He survived an assassination attempt in August 2009.-Personal life:Born in Jeddah, he moved to Riyadh...
.
In 2003, he "threatened to cancel certain business deals with the French government" if the narcotics investigation of Prince Nayef bin Sultan bin Fawwaz al-Shaalan
Nayef bin Sultan bin Fawwaz al-Shaalan
Nayef bin Fawwaz al-Shaalan is a Saudi Arabian prince, maternal grandson of the founding monarch, King Abdul-Aziz. His father-in-law is Abdul-Rahman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabia's Vice Minister of Defense, a member of the powerful Sudairi Seven and a full-brother of King Fahd...
continued.
When meeting with US diplomats in 2009, he voiced support for aggressive activity against Iran after what he believed was a breach of the 2001 security agreement. He urged European nations to hand in terrorist suspects and asked for U.S. intercession. He said the most effective way to combat extremism was through Friday sermons.
Recent positions and succession to the throne
In March 2009, Nayef became Second Deputy Prime Minister. It caused a rare public split in the royal family. Prince Talal called on the King to clarify that the appointment did not necessarily mean that Nayef would become Crown Prince. The appointment expanded his influence into all corners of Saudi domestic policy and allowed him to partake in the development of foreign policy. He is not expected to interfere in economic matters, but may influence the judiciary.He chaired many cabinet meetings when Abdullah and Sultan were away for health reasons. Critics said he was behind the cancellation of the nation's only film festival in the summer of 2009. In November 2010, he undertook all Hajj-related responsibities. In some government offices, his picture was added next to Abdul-Aziz, Abdullah and Sultan.
According to leaked cables
United States diplomatic cables leak
The United States diplomatic cables leak, widely known as Cablegate, began in February 2010 when WikiLeaks—a non-profit organization that publishes submissions from anonymous whistleblowers—began releasing classified cables that had been sent to the U.S. State Department by 274 of its consulates,...
, he advocated a tougher approach than King Abdullah towards Yemeni
Yemeni
Yemeni may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to Yemen**Demographics of Yemen**Culture of Yemen**Yemeni British**Yemeni American**List of Yemenis* Note that there is no language called "Yemeni", though there is the Yemeni Arabic dialect....
President Saleh
Ali Abdullah Saleh
Field Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh is the first President of the Republic of Yemen. Saleh previously served as President of the Yemen Arab Republic from 1978 until 1990, at which time he assumed the office of chairman of the Presidential Council of a post-unification Yemen. He is the...
in 2009.
He was appointed Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and First Deputy Prime Minister by his half-brother King Abdullah on October 27, 2011, five days after the death of his brother, Crown Prince Sultan
Sultan, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia
Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud "Sultan Al-Khair" was the crown prince of Saudi Arabia at the time of his death. He served as the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense and Aviation. He was one of the Sudairi Seven. Sultan was first in the Saudi line of succession.-Early life...
Various positions
Nayef is the Supervisor General of the Saudi Committee for the Al Quds Intifada, which provides aid to Palestinian refugees. He heads the Supreme Council on Information, which oversees the media and regulates the internetInternet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. He also chairs the Supreme Committee on the Hajj and heads the Ministerial Committee on Morality and the Ministerial Oversight Committee on the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
.
As previously intimated he was appointed on October 27, 2011 to be Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
(heir presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
).
Views
In November 2002, Nayef said, "It is impossible that 19 youths carried out the operation of September 11, or that bin Laden or Al Qaeda did that alone. … I think [the Zionists] are behind these events." He later proposed that Americans visiting the kingdom should be fingerprinted like visitors to the United States.He is one of the most conservative forces in the Al Saud. In March 2009, he publicly stated that he saw no need for either elections or women in government.
Personal life
He has been active in philanthropy to Palestinians, Indonesians and Pakistanis.He is said to be suffering from diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetes mellitus, often simply referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar, either because the body does not produce enough insulin, or because cells do not respond to the insulin that is produced...
and osteoporosis
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density is reduced, bone microarchitecture is deteriorating, and the amount and variety of proteins in bone is altered...
.
Family
- Princess Noura Alfarraj Alsubaie (Divorced)
- Jowaher
- Princess al Johara bint Abdul Aziz bin Musaed bin Jolowi al Saud
- Noura
- Saud, Ambassador to Spain
- MuhammadMuhammad bin NayefPrince Mohammad bin Naif bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud is the Saudi Deputy Interior Minister in charge of Counter-Terrorism. He survived an assassination attempt in August 2009.-Personal life:Born in Jeddah, he moved to Riyadh...
, Deputy Interior Minister, Counter-Terrorism Chief
- Princess Maha bint Mohamed bin Ahmad al Sudairy- In June 2009, she claimed diplomatic immunity in France after running up unpaid shopping bills of more than £15 million including £60,000 on designer lingerie. In August 2010, she bought about $20,000 worth of glassware and silverware.