Bin Laden sought to damage Saudi-US ties, says Crown Prince

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said that Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had deliberately used Saudi nationals in the September 11 attacks in an attempt to undermine long-standing ties between Riyadh and Washington. The remarks came during a press conference at the White House on Tuesday, where the Crown Prince addressed questions related to both the 9/11 backlash and the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi,according to information.
Responding to a question from an American journalist who referred to concerns among families of 9/11 victims, the Crown Prince said he understood their sentiments but emphasised the importance of focusing on facts. “I feel painful about the families of 9/11 in America. But we have to focus on reality,” he said.Crown Prince added that bin Laden had chosen Saudi participants in the attacks with the intention of damaging relations between the two nations. “Osama bin Laden used Saudi people in that event for one main purpose — to destroy this relation, to destroy the American-Saudi relation,” he noted, adding that accepting such narratives only serves the extremist leader’s objectives. The Crown Prince said strengthening cooperation, promoting global safety, and expanding tourism were important steps in countering bin Laden’s intentions.
When asked about the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, the Crown Prince described the incident as “painful” and reiterated that Saudi Arabia had taken steps to investigate the case and enhance its internal systems. “It’s painful and it’s a huge mistake, and we are doing our best to ensure that nothing like that ever happens again,” he said.US President Donald Trump, who hosted the press conference, supported the Crown Prince during the exchange and noted that the Saudi government had agreed to invest significantly in the United States. Trump said Saudi Arabia had committed to investing $600 billion, with the Crown Prince indicating that the figure could rise to $1 trillion in the future.