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| Saudi Arabian princes exempt from UK immigration controls, court told | Saudi Arabian princes exempt from UK immigration controls, court told |
| (4 months later) | |
| Some of Saudi Arabia's royal princes – of whom there are said to be as many as 5,000 – consider themselves to be "exempt from immigration controls" when entering the United Kingdom, a London court has been told. | Some of Saudi Arabia's royal princes – of whom there are said to be as many as 5,000 – consider themselves to be "exempt from immigration controls" when entering the United Kingdom, a London court has been told. |
| The claim that they receive special treatment from UK border staff surfaced as part of an argument by two prominent Saudi princes that they are entitled to "sovereign immunity" from a complex legal case at the companies court. | The claim that they receive special treatment from UK border staff surfaced as part of an argument by two prominent Saudi princes that they are entitled to "sovereign immunity" from a complex legal case at the companies court. |
| The two princes are Prince Mishal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, and his son, Prince Abdulaziz. | The two princes are Prince Mishal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, and his son, Prince Abdulaziz. |
| Prince Mishal, 86, is a former defence minister and currently chairman of the influential Allegiance Council, which determines succession to the Saudi throne. He is said to be in a frail state of health. | Prince Mishal, 86, is a former defence minister and currently chairman of the influential Allegiance Council, which determines succession to the Saudi throne. He is said to be in a frail state of health. |
| The dispute involves a company called FI Call Ltd and rival claims over the sale of $6.7m (£4.3m) worth of shares in a case which one judge has described as throwing up "a nuclear mushroom cloud" of litigation. | The dispute involves a company called FI Call Ltd and rival claims over the sale of $6.7m (£4.3m) worth of shares in a case which one judge has described as throwing up "a nuclear mushroom cloud" of litigation. |
| The Saudi princes have not put in photocopies of their passports to prove the truth of their assertion. That would, the judge, Mr Justice Vos, told the court, "demonstrate that ... they don't pass immigration controls". They were also said to have had business visas. | The Saudi princes have not put in photocopies of their passports to prove the truth of their assertion. That would, the judge, Mr Justice Vos, told the court, "demonstrate that ... they don't pass immigration controls". They were also said to have had business visas. |
| The judge continued: "We all know that VIPs come into this country in a different way and they hand [their passport] to an official who takes it to the border agency." | The judge continued: "We all know that VIPs come into this country in a different way and they hand [their passport] to an official who takes it to the border agency." |
| But, he added, a letter from the Foreign Office - an exercise in "studied neutrality" - had not confirmed that they were "exempt from immigration controls". | But, he added, a letter from the Foreign Office - an exercise in "studied neutrality" - had not confirmed that they were "exempt from immigration controls". |
| Tim Otty QC, representing the two Saudi princes, disagreed. "They consider themselves to be exempt because of the physical events that occur when they come into this country." They do not pass through immigration, he added. | Tim Otty QC, representing the two Saudi princes, disagreed. "They consider themselves to be exempt because of the physical events that occur when they come into this country." They do not pass through immigration, he added. |
| The two Saudi princes, Otty said, also carry out duties in which they represent King Abdullah. Prince Mishal fulfils such a function around 30 times a year and works full time assisting the monarch, he said. | The two Saudi princes, Otty said, also carry out duties in which they represent King Abdullah. Prince Mishal fulfils such a function around 30 times a year and works full time assisting the monarch, he said. |
| "Full time, a man of 86?" Vos inquired. The judge also asked the princes' lawyer how many of the numerous Saudi royal family might be entitled to be considered members of the king's household. "5,000?" he suggested. | "Full time, a man of 86?" Vos inquired. The judge also asked the princes' lawyer how many of the numerous Saudi royal family might be entitled to be considered members of the king's household. "5,000?" he suggested. |
| "Unlikely," Otty replied. Prince Mishal, the court was told, appears ahead of the Saudi crown prince in order of precedence in many official statements. | "Unlikely," Otty replied. Prince Mishal, the court was told, appears ahead of the Saudi crown prince in order of precedence in many official statements. |
| The Guardian is seeking access to documents in the case detailing disputed transactions involving Saudi interests in Beirut and Nairobi. At an earlier hearing another judge ordered that they should be released in principle. They are being withheld pending an appeal against that decision by lawyers for the Saudis to the appeal court. | The Guardian is seeking access to documents in the case detailing disputed transactions involving Saudi interests in Beirut and Nairobi. At an earlier hearing another judge ordered that they should be released in principle. They are being withheld pending an appeal against that decision by lawyers for the Saudis to the appeal court. |
| The case continues. | The case continues. |
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