Mujtahidd describes Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a
Machiavellian and narcissistic psychopath who, he alleges, enjoys
psychologically and on some occasions physically torturing other people
[photo credit: unknown]
Among his many victims are said to be some of those closest to him.
They include not just his cousins but his wife, brothers and some of his
most trusted associates, including the General Authority for
Entertainment Chairman Turki Al Al-Sheikh who Mujtahidd says MbS had
imprisoned and flogged and Commerce Minister Majed Al-Qasabi who he
reportedly had imprisoned in a bathroom for several days.
MbS likes to split his time between Riyadh, Jeddah and his luxury yacht Serene.
According to Mujtahidd, his wife and children spend most of their
time at their personal residence in the Khuzama neighbourhood in Riyadh
where the prince visits them only briefly every three or four weeks.
Instead, when in the capital, he prefers to stay at his farm in
Al-Amariyah, the Al Yamama Palace or in the Royal Diwan, which is fully
accommodated with sleeping facilities for all his entourage.
In Jeddah, MbS usually stays either at Salam Palace or a nearby island.
Since the start of the Yemen war in 2015 MbS has also spent a
significant portion of his time on the Serene, where he feels safest
from Huthi missile attacks. This is where he likes to relax and indulge
himself; it is the best place to obtain from him a signature or order
that under other circumstances would be impossible.
The Serene is also where MBS likes to entertain his most
distinguished guests with extraordinary displays of decadence,
especially ones he does not want to be seen with in public like Jared
Kushner and other emissaries of Trump and Netanyahu.
It is where MbS is rumoured to keep the murdered Khashoggi's fingers or head. It is also where Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, the most expensive painting in the world, is said to hang.
MbS, Mujtahidd says, may decide to go to his yacht at any time, 24
hours a day, 365 days a year, so his guards and staff have to be
constantly ready for his arrival at any moment.
The Serene is always accompanied by another yacht with a
'high-quality' international crew, for MbS’s personal delight, carefully
selected by Turki Al Al-Sheikh.
Another place MbS feels safe to visit is his camp in Al-Ula, called
Mijaza. Spread over millions of square metres, Mijaza has all the
facilities and security of a palace. Nevertheless, MbS still prefers not
to spend the night there and normally moves to another location in the
evening.
Although the Crown Prince puts on what Mujtahidd describes as a
façade of cheerfulness in public, the rest of the time when he is not on
his yacht he is said to be in a constant state of irritation and
anxiety. His unpredictable temper keeps his inner circle on constant
tenterhooks: they know he can turn on any of them at any moment,
especially if he feels someone is questioning his judgement or
expertise.
Except for when he has an important meeting or special event,
Mujtahidd says MbS has a disorganised daily schedule which means his
life is in a state of constant chaos.
One principal reason for this is, much to the frustration of those
around him, MbS’s personal life and the interests of his wife, mother,
and children always take precedence over affairs of state, no matter how
important.
Another constant problem is that the prince is reportedly a habitual
user of stimulants and so has no specific time when he likes to go to
bed. He can sleep anytime, day or night, although not without sleeping
aids, and when he does sleep, no one dares wake him, so his sleep can
last for a long time, sometimes all day. Then when he awakes he
immediately starts ingesting stimulants and energy drinks again and so
the cycle repeats. No one can predict how long before he sleeps again,
whether a few hours or several days, depending on what he takes and how
he feels at any given moment.
Saudi officials try to accommodate his behaviour as best they can.
Meetings at all levels have no specific timings or duration. They can
start at dawn, noon, or midnight and last for ten minutes, ten hours, or
several consecutive days. Sometimes MbS calls a meeting then goes to
sleep and ignores it which means no one else can leave until he wakes
up. This can take 10 hours or more. Other times after waiting 12 hours
they receive a message saying his highness will not attend and they have
to reschedule - and woe betide any minister or functionary MbS finds
asleep when he does awaken or who has made an excuse and left!
MbS’s eating habits are reported to be as erratic as his sleeping. He
has no set meal times. Everything he eats has to pass the Royal Guard's
food security check. Though around five years ago he underwent gastric
sleeve surgery for obesity, contrary to doctors’ advice he still eats
quantities of chocolate and fast food, especially burgers from
McDonald's and Burger Boutique, a chain owned by his most trusted
brother Turki bin Salman.
MBS avoids all sports, Mujtahidd writes. He claims to have learned
Taekwondo, but this is unconfirmed. He has never been horseback riding
and although occasionally he likes to relax in the pool, does not know
how to swim. He dislikes family social gatherings and traditional Saudi
entertainment such as Bedouin poetry and has no regular companions from
among his brothers, uncles, and cousins - which is hardly surprising
given that he locked many of them up in the Ritz, had them tortured and
stole their assets. His only hobby is video games, Mujtahidd says, which
is why he has invested billions
in gaming companies, as well as scrolling through Twitter and other
social media, which is what he spends most of his time doing when he is
by himself.