Top 10 Little Known Facts about Muhammad bin Nayef Al Saud

Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz 2013-01-16 (2).jpg Photo by U.S. Department of State from United States – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Little Known Facts about Muhammad bin Nayef Al Saud

He was born on August 30, 1959, in Jeddah. He is one of ten children of Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz, himself a son of King Abdulaziz and brother of King Fahd and King Salman. 

Prince Muhammad has an older brother, Saud bin Nayef, and two younger half-brothers, Nawwaf bin Nayef and Fahd bin Nayef. 

His mother, Al Jawhara bint Abdulaziz bin Musaed, was a member of the Al Jiluwi branch of the House of Saud. 

He is a former Saudi Arabian politician and businessman who served as the crown prince.

He acquired a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1981 from the United States. He took courses at Lewis & Clark College but did not receive a degree.

He attended the FBI’s security courses from 1985 to 1988 and trained with Scotland Yard’s anti-terrorism units from 1992 to 1994.

Prince Muhammad is a grandson of the founding monarch, King Abdulaziz, and son of the former crown prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz.

Muhammad and Nayef were the first father-son duo in Saudi history to serve as crown princes. Muhammad’s uncle King Salman named him crown prince on April 29, 2015.

On June 21, 2017, the king appointed his own son, Mohammed bin Salman, as crown prince and relieved Muhammad bin Nayef of all positions.

He has been in detention since March 6, 2020, along with his uncle Ahmed and his half-brother Nawwaf.

1. He was an Assistant Interior Minister

Secretary Kerry Meets With Saudi Interior Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Nayef (12481955344).jpg Photo by U.S. Department of State from United States – Wikimedia Commons

Muhammad bin Nayef was appointed assistant interior minister for security affairs in 1999. He had been a businessman before this appointment.

He was widely credited for the success of the Ministry’s counter-terrorism program. He was regarded as the architect of the government’s counter-insurgency program.

He also served as the director of civil defense during his term as assistant minister. He was considered to be an effective assistant interior minister.

2. He Became Minister

Saudi Minister of Interior (8361075683).jpg Photo by Foreign and Commonwealth Office – Wikimedia Commons

In 2004, Muhammad bin Nayef was appointed to the rank of minister, becoming number two at the Ministry of Interior. In October 2010, he warned the U.S. Deputy National Security Adviser of the 2010 cargo plane bomb plot.

After the appointment of Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as interior minister upon the death of Prince Nayef in July 2012, Prince Muhammad became deputy interior minister. 

3. Member of the Supreme Economic Council

In November 2009, King Abdullah appointed Muhammad as a member of the influential Supreme Economic Council of Saudi Arabia. 

This move was regarded as approval of the increase in then-Crown Prince Nayef’s power by King Abdullah.

On the other hand, this appointment enabled Prince Muhammad to extend his influence over the government’s economic policy.

4. The Tenth Interior Minister

On 5 November 2012, King Abdullah issued a royal decree and dismissed Prince Ahmed as minister of interior and appointed Prince Muhammad to the post.

He became the tenth interior minister of Saudi Arabia. Prince Muhammad took the oath of office in front of King Abdullah on 6 November 2012. 

5. He was less Corrupt than Previous Ministers

His appointment was not regarded very positively by human rights activists due to Prince Muhammad’s professional experience as a tough enforcer who imprisoned thousands of suspected troublemakers in Saudi Arabia.

However, he was regarded as less corrupt and less likely to abuse his power in comparison to other senior princes of his generation.

6. He Met Prime Minister David Cameron

Prince Muhammad met with British Prime Minister David Cameron in January 2013. He then met with United States President Barack Obama in Washington, D.C. on 14 January 2013. They discussed issues of security and regional developments. 

In February 2014, Prince Muhammad replaced Bandar bin Sultan, then intelligence chief of Saudi Arabia, and was placed in charge of Saudi intelligence in Syria.

Muhammad was assisted in this effort by Prince Mutaib bin Abdullah, the minister of the Saudi Arabian National Guard.

7. Won the George Tenet Medal

Assistant Secretary Patterson Meets With Saudi Interior Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Nayef (12481474365).jpg Photo by U.S. Department of State from United States – Wikimedia Commons

On 10 February 10,  2017, the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) granted its George Tenet Medal to Prince Muhammad.

This was won by those who had an for what the agency called his excellent intelligence performance, in the domain of counter-terrorism and his unbound contribution to realizing world security and peace.

The medal, named after George Tenet, CIA’s longest-serving director, from 1996 to 2004, was handed to him by the newly appointed CIA director Mike Pompeo during a reception ceremony in Riyadh in the presence of the minister of defense Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.

8. Historic Unity Between Saudi and United States

It was the first reaffirmation of ties between the Islamic monarchy and the United States since President Donald Trump took office on January 20, 2017.

The reception was attended by senior civil and military officials and by the United States Charge d’affaires to the Kingdom, Christopher Hensel.

Prince Muhammed and Pompeo discussed security with Turkish officials, he said Saudi Arabia’s relationship with the United States is historic and strategic and added that the move shows Washington’s recognition of what he called Riyadh’s anti-terrorism efforts.

9. He Spoke Freely with Media

Secretary Kerry Sits Across from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef at the Saudi Ministry of Interior in Riyadh (17393715722).jpg Photo by U.S. Department of State from United States – Wikimedia Commons

Muhammad bin Nayef, unlike most of the royal family, actively talks to the media. Concerning the struggle against terrorism, he adopts a policy of the iron fist like his father, Prince Nayef.

10. He Fought Terrorism

Secretary Kerry Walks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef cropped.jpg Photo by Andrew Dalby – Wikimedia Commons

He, and other decision-making elites, have asserted that terrorism must be treated as a form of crime and fought with ruthless policing methods.

Walid Jumblatt described Muhammad bin Nayef as the Saudi equivalent of General Ashraf Rifi, former director-general of Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces.

Muhammad bin Nayef was commended by Western intelligence agencies for Saudi Arabia’s counterterrorism programs.

He called for a secure channel with the United States to facilitate information exchange. He firmly supported U.S. President Barack Obama in his opposition to the release of detainee interrogation photographs.

He thought that Yemen was a dangerous failed state and becoming a serious threat to Saudi Arabia. He further believed that Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh was losing control. He suggested a strategy of directly working with Yemeni tribes, condemning terrorism.

He allowed women to work in late January 2013. He announced that Saudi women would be allowed to work at the Saudi intelligence agency.