Keating & Co. has been hired by Saudi Prince Faisal bin
Salman to refute charges in two best-selling books that his
deceased brother was a liaison between Al Qaeda and the Saudi
government.
Rick Keating, president of the Florham Park, N.J.-based firm,
told O'Dwyer's K&C was recommended for the assignment
based on past work in the global sector; reviewed the background
of Prince Ahmed bin Salman, and accepted the work. He said
his firm has coordinated with the Saudi Embassy's PR firm,
Qorvis Comms., but stressed the work on behalf of the deceased
Ahmed was outside the Beltway and "unequivocally"
non-governmental.
Prince Ahmed
bin Salman
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Ahmed, a well-known thoroughbred owner whose stable included
War Emblem, the 2002 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner,
died of a heart attack in 2002.
Two books, "House of Bush, House of Saud" by Craig
Unger, and "Why America Slept: The Failure to Prevent
9/11" by Gerald Posner suggest Ahmed was named by an
Al-Qaeda operative captured in Pakistan as an intermediary
between the Saudis and bin Laden's terror group. Posner's
tome suggests Ahmed may have known about the Sept. 11 attacks
in advance.
Keating said he interviewed a CIA counter-terrorism official
who said the suggestions were false.
War Emblem's former trainer and Prince Faisal have both told
news outlets that Ahmed was more interested in horses than
politics. Faisal has said linking his brother to Al-Qaeda
was like calling Ronald Reagan a closet communist.
In a statement put out by Keating, Faisal said: "Not
a single, solitary government official or media source has
ever come forward with any evidence linking Prince Ahmed to
any criminal activity. But that fact has not stopped Unger,
Posner and the media from accepting the outrageous claims
at face value."
Keating kicked off his PR push to restore the reputation
following the running of this year's Derby.
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