News

Saudi king in Mecca for crown prince’s burial

By abdullah-alshihri
Published June 17, 2012 2:23pm ET
Add Washington Examiner on Google
Saudi king in Mecca for crown prince’s burial
FILE - In this Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011 file photo, Saudi's Crown Prince - Interior minister Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz, right, and his son, deputy to the Saudi Interior Minister, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, attend a ceremony of the Saudi armed forces, as they prepare for the influx of people to participate in the annual Hajj, in Arafat 15 kilometers outside of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The Saudi royal family said Saturday, June 16, 2012 that Crown Prince Nayef has died. He was in his late 70s. Nayef was the hard-line interior minister who spearheaded Saudi Arabia's fierce crackdown crushing al-Qaida's branch in the country and then rose to become next in line to the throne. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File) | Hassan Ammar

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi royal officials received the body of Crown Prince Nayef Abdul-Aziz in Jiddah on Sunday after a flight from Geneva. He was the second heir to the throne to die outside the country in less than a year.

A burial ceremony was set for the holy city of Mecca, where the 88-year-old King Abdullah gathered with royal family members and international envoys. Abdullah has now outlived two appointed successors from among the elderly group of sons of Saudi’s founding monarch, King Abdul-Aziz.

Already a print subscriber? Click here to login/register your account

Trusted reporting.Unlimited access.

Subscribe for full access to Washington Examiner coverage, expert political analysis, and subscriber-only journalism.

Get Unlimited Access

Already a member? Log in

Cancel anytime.

Tag:

World