Abu Omar, the fake Saudi prince: Latest developments
Authorities are investigating the imposter who posed as a Saudi prince, extorting several politicians with the help of a religious figure, a judicial official said.
A former prime minister and several other politicians, most of them Sunni Muslim, were caught up in the scandal that exposed the country’s deep-rooted corruption.
The imposter, a car mechanic named Mustapha al-Hasian, and his accomplice sheikh Khaldun Oraymet, were arrested late last year and the investigations were "nearing completion", the official told AFP Wednesday.
The official said there was "no evidence of the involvement of any foreign agencies or entities in the case", adding that initial findings indicated that only the two men were involved in "extortion operations".
Hasian, who spoke in a perfect Saudi dialect, pretended to be a prince from the kingdom’s royal court named "Abu Omar" and went as far as giving orders to politicians and telling them which political line to adopt.
Oraymet, the sheikh, gave Hasian the numbers of politicians he knew, along with information about them.
The imposter promised them that Riyadh would support their appointment to positions of power in Lebanon in exchange for money, according to the official.
"A number of politicians who were contacted by Abu Omar gave their testimonies as witnesses and acknowledged the fact," the official said.
"They insisted that the money they paid was provided in the form of social and health assistance to associations or individuals, and not in exchange for political services."
Foreign interference is rife in Lebanon, where rival religious sects seek backing from different regional and global powers.
Saudi Arabia was once a key supporter of Lebanon’s Sunni politicians, particularly former prime minister Saad Hariri.
It pulled its support from Hariri and distanced itself from the Lebanese political scene years ago, alleging the country was under the control of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group -- now weakened after its latest war with Israel.
The Sunni community found itself weakened by Hariri’s decision to step away from politics.
Last year, Saudi Arabia backed the election of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who visited Riyadh in March in a sign of warming ties between the two countries.
Source: Agence France Presse
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