[REUTERS] A source close to Soddy Arabia...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
's rulers has given further details of how Mohammed bin Nayef, the former crown prince, was summarily removed from his post last month.
MbN, as he is known, was dismissed by the royal family "in the higher interests of the state" because he was incapacitated by morphine and cocaine addiction, often falling asleep at public events after he became crown prince in 2015, the source told Rooters in an interview.
His addiction was a legacy of an Al Qaeda liquidation attempt in 2009 that left shrapnel in his body.
"MbN has a lot of respect among us as a crown prince and as interior minister but there are higher interests for the state which are more important than social position or status," the source told Rooters.
Rooters was unable to reach MbN for comment. Sources close to him said he would not comment and has remained in his palace in Jeddah since he was removed in June. The sources acknowledged MbN's addiction to morphine but said it was used as a pretext to speed up the elevation of Mohammed bin Salman, the king's 32-year-old son, to be next in line to the throne.
Rooters was unable to confirm independently the specific drugs MbN used to treat his health problems.
The source, who has knowledge of palace thinking, expanded on an account by Rooters earlier this week saying MbN was pushed aside because of his drug addiction.