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May 25, 2004
KEATING AIMS TO CLEAR
SAUDI'S NAME
 

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

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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