Saudi King taken to hospital unconscious: activist

Saudi King taken to hospital unconscious: activist
Sat Aug 31, 2013 17:53:47

The ailing Saudi King has been taken to hospital unconscious and suffering from shortness of breath after his health deteriorated over midnight, a Saudi activist says.

King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz who is 89 years old was taken to a hospital on Saturday morning amid strict secrecy, the activist who uses the pseudonym of Mujtahidd wrote in his Twitter page.

“The King’s shortness of breath that I mentioned earlier has intensified recently and has prevented him from travelling to Riyadh and attending Musaid bin Abdel Aziz’s funeral,” the activist added.

Mujtahid Bin Hareth Bin Hammaam has been nicknamed the "Julian Assange" of Saudi Arabia for revealing information about the Saudi royal family and has turned into a reliable source of secret news in his country.

The Saudi King ascended to the throne on August 1, 2005, upon the death of his half-brother, King Fahd.

King Abdullah has curtailed his activities since June 2010 with no clear explanation. Diplomats said there has been uncertainty about the extent of his health problems.

From 2010 to 2012, the Saudi King had four back surgeries. The first two of the surgeries were in New York, one in 2010 for a slipped disk and a blood clot pressing on nerves in his back and a second to stabilize vertebrae in 2011. The third one was in Riyadh in 2011. And the last one was also in Riyadh on November 17, 2012.

HH/HH

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