Dagbladet can reveal that Norwegian authorities intervened when Saudi Arabia deployed a mysterious ten-man security team to Norway.
The Saudis wanted the security team to be registered as diplomats - with the benefits that follows.
The Norwegian Police Security Service has informed a Norway-based critic of the Saudi regime about the case.
He fears for his safety.
In the early summer of 2018, Norway received an unusual request from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's government.
Saudi Arabia wanted to send ten men on an official assignment to Norway, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms to Dagbladet. The ten men were all security guards, who were deployed to work at the Saudi Arabian embassy in Norway, according to Dagbladet’s sources. But Saudi Arabia wanted the security guards to be registered as diplomats in Norway. This would give them extended room for manoeuvring in Norway.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs intervened, and the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) has informed Iyad el-Baghdadi (43) - a Norway-based journalist, activist, and critic of the Saudi regime - about the incident.
Dagbladet has asked the Saudi embassy several questions regarding this article. The embassy has responded with a press release they originally sent out last year, criticising "fabricated and false" accusations, "with the intent to insult Saudi Arabia."
Update Thursday 17th of December: The Saudi Arabian Embassy in Oslo has replied specifically to the deplyment of the security team. Read the full comment further down in this article.
Les artikkelen gratis
Logg inn for å lese eldre artikler. Det koster ingenting, gir deg tilgang til arkivet vårt og sikrer deg en bedre brukeropplevelse.
Gå til innlogging medVi bruker aID som innloggings-tjeneste, med din aID-konto kan du enkelt logge inn på alle våre sider som krever dette.
Vi bryr oss om ditt personvern
Dagbladet er en del av Aller Media, som er ansvarlig for dine data. Vi bruker informasjonskapsler (cookies) og dine data til å forbedre og tilpasse tjenestene, tilbudene og annonsene våre.
Vil du vite mer om hvordan du kan endre dine innstillinger, gå til personverninnstillinger
