let's get to cnn's becky anderson with more. becky, good morning to you.ome feel this is a power grab as much as it is cutting down on corruption. it is both? >> well, it's certainly been an extraordinary weekend here in saudi arabia's capital riyadh, providing further confirmation if any were needed of exactly who is in charge here and how the kingdom's new leadership is positioning itself, both domestically and on the international stage as well. cynics might call this a power play. supporters of the young crown prince will tell you that the messages of an era of elite inindulgence is over. and to be quite frank, this was a move that was well flagged. earlier in the year, in an interview with an arabic language tv station, the crown prince here warned that every person who has engaged in corruption regardless of their status will be held accountable, provided, he said, the evidence of wrongdoing exists. so the warnings were there. the most high profile of the targets said prince alwaleed ben talal, the businessman owner of kingdom holding, which is a com

becky anderson is joining us from the saudi capital of ri ad. al waleed well-known figure in the west and major shareholder in companies like apple, citigroup. what do we know about what's behind all of these arrests? >> reporter: a man i've interviewed on a number of occasions. those caught up in what was an extraordinary weekend here in i riyadh could not have been more high profile. members of the royal family including al waleed, twitter, apple, news corp., detained in what was an unprecedented anti-corruption sweep that officials here, wolf, insist is in line with the country's plans to diversify and modernize this economy by 2030, and while cynics would and have said that this is less about graft and more about a power play by the young crown prince bin s sulemaning on those who oppose him, that is nonsense. he said zero tolerance on terrorism. zero tolerance on corruption, and this was a move, wolf, that was well flagged earlier in the year in an interview with an arabic-language tv station. bin salman warned that any person that was enga

let's talk to becky anderson, she is in riyadh.s was about really fighting corruption versus about the crown prince consolidating power? >> well, it really depends on who you talk to. it was certainly an extraordinary weekend here in saudi arabia's capital, riyadh, providing further confirmation if anyone needed of just who is in charge here and how the kingdom's new leadership is positioning itself both domestically and on the international stage. the announcement of this anti-corruption committee on saturday was as you rightly point out followed almost immediately by the news that at least 17 princes, top officials, government ministers had been rounded up there. is one saudi watcher put it, civics might call this a power play. but he says it's actually a message that an era of elite indulgence here is over. you point out one of the most high profile targets was prince alwaleed ben talal, business owner of kingdom holding which has stakes in companies like citigroup, twitter, apple, news corporation. the campaign also ensnaring o

becky anderson is outfront tonight. this is pretty incredible what we're seeing.n be king said give him time this is the right thing to do, he's getting rid of corruption. he's letting women drive. then someone told me over night i suspect he'll be out of power in the next few months. what do you make of what's next here? >> those are interesting thoughts. it was a move that rocked this city. an unprecedented sweep high profile businessmen as you pointed out. authorities insist is intended to put an end to the era of elite indulgence. when asked about the sort of charges we are talking about. one official told me, the new anti-corruption commission was set up to investigate things as wide ranging as embezzlement and extortion. and denied reports that the opponents were the young crown prince. this is how the foreign minister to mohammed's critics. this is less about graft and more about a power play. by a young crown prince turning those screws on those who oppose him. >> we have a zero policy when it comes to supporting terrorism, corruption and waste and mismana