Saudi party full of sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll

[wautd]

In todays lighter news, Saudi's and religious hypocrisy

LONDON — A world of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll plays out behind the official Islamic law observances of Saudi Arabian royalty, U.S. diplomats say in cables revealed by WikiLeaks and quoted by the Guardian newspaper.

Consulate officials in Jeddah, describing an underground Halloween party thrown last year by a member of the large Al-Thunayan family, said liquor and prostitutes were present in abundance behind heavily guarded villa gates, the Guardian said.

The diplomats wanted to keep the family member's identity secret, the Guardian said.

A U.S. energy drinks company helped finance the party, it said.

"Alcohol, though strictly prohibited by Saudi law and custom, was plentiful at the party's well-stocked bar. The hired Filipino bartenders served a cocktail punch using sadiqi, a locally-made moonshine," said the cable quoted by the Guardian. "It was also learned through word-of-mouth that a number of the guests were in fact 'working girls', not uncommon for such parties."

The Guardian said the dispatch from U.S. partygoers, signed off by the consul in Jeddah, Martin Quinn, added: "Though not witnessed directly at this event, cocaine and hashish use is common in these social circles."

The "thriving and throbbing" Saudi underground party scene is protected by Saudi royalty but available only behind closed doors for the very rich, whose homes feature basement bars, discos and clubs, said the cable, according to the Guardian.

Royal patronage meant that the more than 150 Saudi men and women, most in their 20s and 30s, partied without fear of religious police, according to the cable, which described the use of a strict guest list: "The scene resembled a nightclub anywhere outside the kingdom: plentiful alcohol, young couples dancing, a DJ at the turntables and everyone in costume."

The diplomats, the cable said, also explained why they thought their host was so attached to Nigerian bodyguards, some of whom were working on the door: "Most of the prince's security forces were young Nigerian men. It is common practice for Saudi princes to grow up with hired bodyguards from Nigeria or other African nations who are of similar age and who remain with the prince well into adulthood. The lifetime spent together creates an intense bond of loyalty."

The cable, the Guardian said, noted the kingdom has 10,000 princes, some "royal highnesses" directly descended from King Abdul Aziz and "highnesses" from less direct branches.

One high-society Saudi, quoted by the Guardian, told the diplomat: "The increased conservatism of our society over these past years has only moved social interaction to the inside of people's homes."

[Stargate Nerd]

this is well known sadly. the saudi royalty parties it up while the lower classes have to live by perverted middle ages laws.

[cosmicalstorm]

The real news would have been if those guys were just sitting around and reciting the Quran at every party.

[JME2]

The real news would have been if those guys were just sitting around and reciting the Quran at every party.

Or if they were actually smoking the Quran...

[Danny Bhoy]

It's not even just the Saudi royalty and not only in relatively more liberal Jeddah. There are even brothels (for the lower strata in society including foreign labourers) in Makkah and vice raids are reported to take place from time to time. Reported as in reported in the Saudi papers. When I was there between 2004 and 2007, I knew of parties in Riyadh, and on a couple of occasions knew their venues. No way I would have gotten in, being a mere khowagger and a gook to boot, short of masquerading as hired help.

[Kanastrous]

Khowagger?

Yes, I googlificated it. No hits.

[Danny Bhoy]

Khowagger?

Yes, I googlificated it. No hits.

Sorry, t'was an inaccurate transliteration of a language that does not lend well to transliteration - means furriner. Egyptian colloquail arabic, can't remember if it was in the Gulfie version. From the arabic root word meaning outside, external etc. Like kharijiya for foreign (adjective singular feminine)

[Drone]

Ajnabi is foreigner in Saudi/MSA (transliterating Arabic isn't fun), but they do have like 6 words for everything that include slight nuance, and dialects just make me want to cry.