by ROULA KHALAF
A day after three top Syrian security officials were assassinated in a bomb blast in Damascus, Bashar al-Assad was given more reason to fear for his fate.
More than 1,000km away in Riyadh, the king of Saudi Arabia, the country that the Syrian leader is convinced has been conspiring against him, appointed as spymaster the man known to be the most hawkish towards Syria and Iran – Bandar bin Sultan.
The prince and nephew of King Abdullah is one of the most controversial Saudi royals. A former ambassador to the US, little has been heard of him in recent years, amid reports of illness as well as cool relations with the king.
Financial Times for more
(Thanks to Robin Khundkar)