Michael Scott Doran has become quite a star in Saudi Arabia.

His contention that the ruling family, the Al Saud, are split into a pro-reform wing headed up by Crown Prince Abdallah and an Islamist-inclined, anti-reform wing headed up by Interior Minister Prince Na'if, excited the interest and comment of many in the kingdom.

Prince Na'if himself felt constrained to go on al-Arabiyya, one of the new Arabic-language satellite news channels that are now competing with al-Jazeera, to deny Doran's account.