The World’s Worst Sons

The troublesome progeny giving headaches to some of the most powerful leaders on the planet.

BY JOSHUA KEATING | JULY 24, 2009

SHEIKH ISSA BIN ZAYED AL-NAYHAN

AFP/Getty Images

Dad: The late former ruler of Abu Dhabi and former president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan

Age: Unknown

Bad behavior: Although he has no formal government position, Sheikh Issa, whose brother Khalifa is the current ruler of Abu Dhabi, is one of the emirate’s most prominent real estate developers. He was previously best known for building the Al Hakema tower, a massive complex in honor of his late father. But thanks to one night in the desert and an ill-advised videotape, Sheikh Issa’s name is now synonymous with sadism and abuse of power.

A video obtained by ABC News shows a group of men, including the sheikh, torturing an Afghan grain merchant who he accuses of cheating him. In the video, which was allegedly shot on his desert ranch at night, Issa fires an automatic weapon around the man, stuffs sand in his mouth, sodomizes him with an electric cattle prod, lights him on fire, and pours salt on his bleeding wounds.

The video was given to ABC by one of Issa’s former business associates, who is suing over various business deals.  The man claims to have evidence of 25 other cases of torture by Issa. The UAE’s interior minister -- who happens to also be Issa’s brother -- acknowledged that the man on the tape was him. Issa has been put under house arrest pending investigation, which is extremely rare for a member of the royal family. It will take a lot more than a skyscraper to erase this stain from the family’s reputation.

 SUBJECTS:
 

Joshua Keating is deputy Web editor at FP.

NEOMARTIAN

9:27 AM ET

July 26, 2009

Rogue princes

Fantastic article. Wish the list included at least 10 persons. Anyhow, it was a nice read.

 

ASIA_SHOOTER

11:04 AM ET

July 26, 2009

Corruption Kids

Very nice article Joshua, but how in the hell did Tommy Suharto not
head the list?

 

RICHD

7:03 AM ET

July 27, 2009

Hu Haifeng

Hu Haifeng's inclusion seems a bit of a stretch - the Namibian bribery case is tit-for-tat between Rio Tinto and China. Rio Tinto has a majority stake in the Rossing Uranium mine in Namibia, a significant part of the Namibian economy. I am sure it is using its leverage with the Namibian government to directly target the Chinese leadership to back off their corruption case against Rio Tinto in China. Hu Haifeng is just a pawn in this.

 

DEMONIZEDCHINA

7:20 PM ET

July 27, 2009

Yes, demoinzed it

The author is just intended to demonize China and its leaders. We all want to demonized China and act like we are the most moral nation on the earth, don't we?

 

TWOFLOWER

9:11 AM ET

July 28, 2009

demonizing China

So true! I have spent many years only believing a tenth of what I read in the western press about China and other 'foes'. Then I went to China a couple of years back. It was then I realised even the 1/10th was rubbish as well. As a citizen of a well off western democracy (Australia) I discovered I could quite cheerfully live in China amongst the Chinese, not in the wealthy areas, I cannot afford that, but with the middle/lower working classes. I communicate very regularly over the internet with these 'poor repressed' Chinese and still can't seem to find how or where they are repressed.
I was 'adopted' by a chinese girl and her friends, all strugglers economically, and their lifestyle resembles that of the younger Australians quite closely except i) they are actually prepared to get a job and ii) they are much more cheerful and happy than the Australian youth.
I cannot wait to get back, only the airfares are stopping me.

 

JG

5:41 AM ET

August 12, 2009

I have also lived and worked

I have also lived and worked in Shanghai for a few years......

You are mistaken or have been sheltered in your PRC experience, apparently, enjoying a good time and a warm-hearted family in the PRC. Chinese tend to treat foreigners like rock stars. I have enjoyed the party atmosphere throughout the city and the country. I have sat and drank in the one room apartments of the not so fortunate.

Yet there is clearly suppression and oppression going on. I lost one of my engineers to goverment religious threats and now granted asylum in the US. I have traveled all around China including Tibet and have seen first hand the cloak of oppression. I also have Chinese friends who I confer with and they have many times steered me away from potential political situations that would cause them to lose face. No doubt they are a proud people but they are utmost a communist country.....and I am very familiar with communist oppression coming from a communist oppressed family.

China can be reflected in two flowers..... the lotus they present.....and the Rafflesia

Not saying the open society of USA is all good....It clearly has its darkness and issues.

You may think that stories in western papers highlighting PRC's suppressive activities is rubbish and maybe it takes that kind of attitude to make progress towards harmony, but denial is like rice paper.....translucent and easily torn