A Statement From Lamia bint Michal bin Saud, the Widow of Prince Ahmed bin Salman
 

Gerald Posner’s book “Why America Slept” is a deplorable attempt to exploit the Sept. 11 tragedy for personal gain. Mr. Posner has fabricated an outrageous conspiracy theory that he is marketing on the eve of the anniversary of the tragic Sept. 11 attacks. He shamelessly maligns the memory of a beloved member of our family without any substance or reason, except apparently to promote and sell his book.

Prince Ahmed bin Salman had strong friendships in the United States for many years. He had a home in the US, and America was one of the places where he was able to enjoy his life-long passion for horses. It was his privilege and joy to win the Kentucky Derby with “War Emblem” in 2002.

Ahmed was an enthusiastic, self-appointed ambassador of goodwill to the US and embodied all that is good about the more than 70-year friendship between the two countries and peoples.

It is deplorable that the author was blinded to the facts. Obviously, Mr. Posner did not care about, or chose simply to ignore the fact, that Ahmed was a kind man who loved being in America and respected its people. Without any substance, Mr. Posner attempts to connect Ahmed to terrorists, even making the outlandish suggestion that he was murdered. Both statements are preposterous.

I am fully confident that Mr. Posner has no evidence that Ahmed was involved in any of the activities he suggested.

Had Mr. Posner taken the time actually to check the facts, he would have found that Ahmed was a man who dedicated a lifetime to honorable, humane and compassionate work.

Ahmed was an honest, kind and generous person who was loved by many people in both the United States and Saudi Arabia. He strived to live a life of sincerity and decency, ideals our family has always cherished and lives by. Mr. Posner does Ahmed a great injustice.

Mr. Posner cannot appreciate, and apparently does not care about, the pain he has inflicted on Ahmed’s family. In contradiction to all honored values, Mr. Posner’s deceitful conspiracy theory strikes at two other people: Prince Sultan bin Faisal bin Turki, a dear childhood friend and relative of Ahmad, who died in a car accident as he was rushing from out of town to attend Ahmed’s funeral; and Prince Fahd bin Turki bin Saud, a young relative in his mid-twenties who died tragically of dehydration alone in the desert, in a wholly unrelated death.

We believe that decent people everywhere will see through this deceit and that justice will be served. Honesty and decency demand that, for the sake of our five small children and the rest of his family, as well as his many friends in the United States and elsewhere, these false accusations be acknowledged by Mr. Posner and all of those who gave him a forum to repeat the scurrilous charges. We will, God willing, always remain committed to protecting Ahmed’s good name, and to carrying forward his bright legacy.

We will not allow his reputation and his lifetime of good deeds to be tarnished by sensationalism or outlandish lies such as those of Mr. Posner.