Sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein maintained his relationships in the Middle East (West Asia) for many years. On one hand he was looking for business opportunities, and on the other hand he was also collecting rare and religious things related to Islam. He used these things to decorate a controversial building on his Caribbean island, which he called a ‘mosque’. He ordered Kiswa from the Kaaba of Mecca. Kiswa is a cloth on which verses from the Quran are embroidered with gold and it is offered on the Kaaba. Apart from this, hand made tiles were brought from a mosque in Uzbekistan. A golden dome was also built, whose design was similar to the buildings of old Syria. Epstein’s aim was not only to collect Islamic things, but also to strengthen his relations with powerful and rich people. Epstein got access to important people in Saudi Arabia through Norwegian diplomat Terje Rode-Larsen. They included Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, adviser Rafat Al Sabbagh and royal aide Aziza Al Ahmadi. With the help of this network, he also got special clothes related to Kaaba. In a 2014 photo, Epstein is looking at a similar cloth spread out on the floor inside his home in New York. Emirati’s big businessman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem was also present with him. He later suffered losses due to his links to Epstein and had to resign as head of Dubai’s port company DP World. Epstein had a strong interest in Islamic design. The documents also revealed the truth about a mysterious building built on his private island, Little St. James. Earlier it was called a music room, a pavilion, a chapel or some mysterious temple, but his emails and conversations with artist colleagues revealed that he called it a ‘mosque’, although there is no evidence that it was ever used for religious worship. Romanian artist Ion Nicola, who worked on this project, also told that Epstein used to call it a mosque. It was also revealed that there was a plan to write Arabic writing (like Allah) on the walls or parts of this mosque. In an email, Epstein even suggested that the Arabic words for ‘Allah’ be replaced with the letters J and E in his own name. The records also show that Epstein had a strong interest in Islamic design. 2003- He said that he had a very large Persian carpet which might have come from a mosque. 2008- While he was still in jail, he planned to build a hammam (Turkish bath) and Islamic-style gardens on his island. 2009- Before coming out of jail, he asked architects to prepare this design. 2011- He wrote to a contact in Uzbekistan that he wanted real tiles similar to the interior walls of the mosque. 2013- He sent a photo of the 15th century Yalabuga Hamam built in Aleppo, Syria and asked that a similar design should be made, which would have golden domes, arches and special type of walls. Epstein would email himself design ideas, which included photos of old Middle East mosques. Epstein wanted to become an advisor to the Crown Prince Around 2010, Epstein befriended Norwegian diplomat Terje Rode-Larsen. There were frequent talks between the two on business and international affairs. During 2016, Saudi Arabia started coming up more in their conversations, because at that time Mohammed bin Salman was preparing to bring the country’s oil company Aramco to the stock market. Epstein wanted her to become his financial advisor. Rode-Larsen introduced him to Raafat al-Sabbagh (royal advisor) and Aziza al-Ahmadi (royal aide). Through them, Epstein tried to gain access to the Crown Prince. He met him in New York and wanted to meet the Prince directly and present his different ideas, like creating a new currency called ‘Sharia’ for Muslims. Then he got an invitation to come to Saudi Arabia. Aziza Al Ahmadi told Epstein that when he went to the Saudi Arabian embassy, he should tell the officials there that Mohammed bin Salman himself had called him. After arriving in Saudi, Epstein sent Rode-Larsen two photographs of himself and the Prince, which she then hung in her home. Aziza Al Ahmadi and Epstein met in New York in early 2017. At that time the people working under him were talking to each other through email or messages. They were deciding that some items like a tent and other things should be sent from Saudi Arabia to Epstein’s private island. Epstein’s staff told a customs agent that they were getting three pieces of clothing from the Kaaba. One which was used inside the Kaaba, the second Kiswa which covers the outside and the third one was made by the same particular factory. Kiswa has a lot of religious importance. Hundreds of artisans make it every year. About 700 kg of silk and 115 kg of gold and silver thread are used in it. Its price is around 50 lakh dollars. When it is replaced, its pieces are given to special institutions or respected people. Aziza Al Ahmadi wrote in an email that at least 10 million Muslims have touched the black cloth that was sent. People take seven rounds of the Kaaba and add their prayers and hopes by touching this cloth. It is not clear how he got these things. Neither he nor the Saudi government gave any answer in this regard. Epstein was angry at not being able to become a consultant. Hurricane Maria hit in 2017, which caused a lot of damage to Epstein’s island and some things kept in his mosque were broken or damaged. Meanwhile another problem arose. Mohammed bin Salman became crown prince and ignored Epstein’s advice, which angered him. He wrote in a message that “If my advice had been followed, Saudi would not have needed such expensive help.” However, it is not known what expense he was talking about. When journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in Istanbul in 2018, Epstein also spoke to Rode-Larsen about this. Rode-Larsen responded, “There’s a dark shadow over his head, and it’s not going to go away.” This soon proved true for Epstein as well. Shortly thereafter, an old case of his (2008) was exposed and his downfall began. He was arrested again in July 2019. On August 8, ownership of the island was transferred to a trust. On August 10, he allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in Manhattan jail.
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सऊदी क्राउन प्रिंस का सलाहकार बनना चाहता था एपस्टीन: प्राइवेट आइलैंड पर ‘मस्जिद’ बनवाई, सोने का गुंबद, मक्का से कपड़े और उज्बेकिस्तान से टाइल्स मंगवाए
