Missing American Man Arrested by Saudi Security Agency

November 26, 2021
Washington DC – Saudi State Security Agency has arrested an American man in Riyadh without a clear reason, his father said in a statement through his social media account.

The arrest comes weeks after the Biden administration approved a $650 million arms sales to Saudi Arabia, a deal opposed by several members of Congress led by Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.

The Kansas born Amer AlFaleh holds a PhD in economics from Claremont Graduate University, and was arrested on November 21 after he told his wife he was going for a meeting. When he did not came back, his father Dr. Matrook AlFaleh, a prominent figure in Saudi Arabia, reported him missing to police.

Following four days of disappearance, Dr. AlFaleh posted a long thread on his twitter account appealing to King Salman to help find his missing son.

AlFaleh said that his son has been unemployed for three years and not involved in any political activity, but he may have been targeted for quitting his job as a financial analyst at the Ministry of Planning and Economics in 2018 and looking for other opportunities. The father said Amer has not been able to get a job anywhere, which may have been due to the State Security Agency’s blocking it.

Amer was arrested in the same day former American secretary of State Michael Pompeo was in Riyadh to meet Saudi officials for a purported a business deal. Pompeo, who supports the Saudi Monarchy and constantly praises Crown Prince MBS, shared photos of his meetings with Saudi Ministers of investments and commerce on his twitter account. Pompeo, who is planning a presidential run in 2024 and may be looking for potential donors to fund his campaign, didn’t respond to multiple messages.

Sultan AlAbdali, an exiled Saudi lawyer, said the arrest if AlFaleh is a message from Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman to US President Joseph Biden. “The arrests of Saudi American nationals is a way for MBS to challenge the Biden administration and send a message that Saudi Arabia can humiliate and jail you even if you’re American,” he said.

Amer was born in Lawrence, Kansas in 1982, where his father earned his PhD in political science from the University of Kansas, Lawrence.

Dr. Matrook AlFaleh, a prominent national figure and an author of six books, was a professor of political science at King Saudi University until his arrest in 2004 and 2008 for leading other intellectuals and reformers to seek an elected parliament and independent human rights organizations.
Other dual nationals who were in prison for years are out on bail awaiting trial, while others remain under a travel ban. Dr. Badr Al-Ibrahim and Salah AlHaidar are out on bail but face a trial for political activities. Dr. Waleed Fatihi is under a travel ban.

On the net:
1- Dr.Matrook Alfaleh Twitter account: @Benfaleh
2- Congresswoman Ilhan Omar @IlhanMN
3- Michael Pompeo @mikepompeo
4- The Presidency of State Security @pss_en
5- Claremont Graduate University @CGUnews www.cgu.edu