Palestinian billionaire Masri detained in Saudi Arabia

AMMAN – Sabih al-Masri, a Palestinian billionaire and the chairman of Jordan's largest lender Arab Bank, was detained in Saudi Arabia for questioning after a business trip to Riyadh, family sources and friends said on Saturday.

They said Masri, a Saudi citizen and Jordan's most prominent businessman with holdings in hotels and banking, was detained after heading to the Saudi capital last week to chair meetings of companies he owns.

He had cancelled a dinner on Tuesday that he had invited friends and leading businessmen to attend on his return.

Confidants said Masri had been warned not to travel to Saudi Arabia after mass arrests last month of Saudi royals, ministers and businessmen in the biggest purge of the kingdom's affluent elite in its modern history.