[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
Prince Harry recently sought out police protection that had been controversially dropped following his decision to walk away from his role in the royal family. But why did he need protection so much? Shockingly, he received what his lawyer says was a credible threat on his life from Al-Qaeda terrorists! WHOA!
A closed two-day session was held last week on the security matter in front of London’s Royals Courts of Justice — and the Duke of Sussex himself attended in person. During the hearing, which was first detailed in a summary released to People on Thursday, Harry pushed for what would be a major legal victory if he’s able to successfully appeal the return of his previously automatic police protections when in the United Kingdom.
Harry revealed in court this wasn’t just about general anxiety — he was threatened by the terror organization! That’s a serious danger! And it was that threat which pushed him to ask for extra security:
“[Harry] confirmed that he had requested certain protection after a threat was made against him by al Qaida.”
According to the Duke’s lawyer Shaheed Fatima, the terrorist organization allegedly called for Meghan Markle‘s husband “to be murdered” right after the royal family downgraded his security detail back in 2020. The lawyer claimed that al Qaeda had published a message online indicating Harry’s “assassination would please the Muslim community.”
Whoa…
The threats came in part because Harry served two tours in Afghanistan with the British Army in the years following the September 11th terror attacks. Those combat operation experiences were also stories that he later wrote about in his memoir, Spare. In turn, writing about those stories drew considerable negative attention from extremist groups — hence the threat on Harry’s life following the decision to downgrade his security detail amid his ongoing rift from King Charles and family.
In an emotional summary at the hearing last week, Fatima begged on behalf of Harry for the restoration of his and Meghan’s security detail in the UK. Doing so, she said, could ensure their safety following the extremist group’s threats on his life:
“One must not forget the human dimension of this case. There is a person who is sitting behind me whose safety, whose security and whose life is at stake. There is a person sitting behind me who’s been told he is getting a special bespoke process when he knows in his experience it is a process that is manifestly inferior in every sense.”
Fatima also pointed out that Harry’s in-person presence at the hearing should be taken as a direct sign of how important the issue is to him and his family, which now includes two children, son Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3:
“His presence here and throughout this appeal is a potent demonstration of how much this appeal means to him and his family.”
According to the magazine, Prince Harry still has not received what is considered a critical risk assessment of his ideal security arrangements. Furthermore, the lawyer’s closed session remarks indicated that the current lackluster security arrangement for Harry and his family is “inadequate, inappropriate and ineffective.”
Related: Harry ‘Not Overly Happy’ Meghan Is Using Their Kids To Promote Brand, Claims Royal Editor
As for Harry himself, he told the mag after departing court that he feels “exhausted and overwhelmed” by it all. In his cover interview, Harry said in part:
“My worst fears have been confirmed by the whole legal disclosure in this case — and that’s really sad.”
He also indicated that some of the information revealed during the court’s closed session is highly disturbing:
“People would be shocked by what’s being held back.”
Jeez…
FWIW, People notes that the court is expected to rule on the potential for adding back security for Harry in the next couple weeks. Hist team told the outlet that they are “cautiously optimistic” about the outcome falling in their favor. Guess we’ll see soon enough about all that.
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[Image via MEGA/WENN]
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