White House snubs visiting Saudi prince

Prince Mohammad, also the defense minister, arrived in the US on Monday to hold a number of meetings with senior US officials. The Saudi royal court said the prince and American officials will “discuss the strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries, and discuss issues of mutual interest and regional issues.” The 30-year-old prince was supposed to meet with Obama on Thursday, however, a White House official said no such meeting has been confirmed yet. Mohammad’s visit to the US comes as controversy surrounding Saudi Arabia’s role in the September 11, 2001 attacks resurfaced in May, when the US Senate passed a bill that allowed the families of 9/11 victims to sue the Riyadh regime for the damage caused by the tragic event.