Turki Al-Faisal Accepts Damages in Libel Case
P.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News

JEDDAH, 7 December 2004 — Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi ambassador to Britain, has accepted “substantial” damages and a public apology from Paris Match’s publishers after the magazine alleged that he set up Al-Qaeda and was responsible for the 9/11 attacks.

Prince Turki, a former director of Saudi intelligence, sued Hachette Filipacchi Associes after it printed allegations from the book “La Guerre D’Apres” by Laurent Murawiec. The prince’s lawyer Rupert Earle told London’s High Court: “In particular he described Prince Turki as having set up Al-Qaeda and thereafter used it as his military organization.”

Back in 2002, Laurent Muraviec made himself notorious when he gave a briefing to the Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board Advisory Panel, claiming that Saudi Arabia was an enemy of America and suggested plans for taking over the oil fields. When news of this briefing broke, the USG couldn’t find reverse gear fast enough to back away from his outrageous statements. Even the RAND Corporation, with whom he worked, took the unusual step of completely disassociating itself from Muraviec’s theories and report. Seeing that Muraviec spent several years toiling in the vineyards of Lyndon LaRouche, it might not be surprising that he comes up with strange ideas.

He also comes up with legal liabilities. In his new book–which was excerpted in the French magazine Paris Match, he alleged that Prince Turki Al-Faisal created and suported Al-Qaeda, using it as his private army. When it came to the courts, however, Paris Match found that the allegations were unsubstantiated and without any proof. They have offered a complete apology, which will also be run in the magazine next week. They also got hit with a fine for damages and were found liable for legal costs.

As much as this will chagrin the Michael Moores of the world, it’s nice to see that the courts can help shine light on malicious allegations. Scratch Muraviec as an “informed source” about Saudi Arabia.