RIYADH Saudi Arabia on Saturday admitted that critic Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its consulate in Istanbul, more than two weeks after his disappearance tipped the kingdom into one of its worst international crises.
The kingdom also sacked deputy intelligence chief Ahmad al-Assiri and royal court media advisor Saud al-Qahtani, both top aides to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who has faced mounting pressure over the Khashoggi affair.
The admission that Khashoggi died at the hands of Saudi officials after weeks of vehement denials by the Gulf kingdom comes after President Donald Trump said that the United States, which is Saudi Arabia’s biggest backer, could impose sanctions if it was proved the journalist was killed.
Saudi Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb said Khashoggi died after “discussions” at the consulate devolved into an altercation, without disclosing any details on the whereabouts of his body.
“Preliminary investigations… revealed that the discussions that took place between him and the persons who met him… at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul led to a brawl and a fist fight with the citizen, Jamal Khashoggi, which led to his death, may his soul rest in peace,” the attorney general said in a statement.
In its first reaction to Khashoggi’s confirmed death, the White House said it was “saddened” but made no mention of any possible action against its major ally.
“We will continue to closely follow the international investigations into this tragic incident and advocate for justice that is timely, transparent and in accordance with all due process,” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said.
UN chief Antonio Gutterres said he was “deeply troubled” adding there needed to be “full accountability for those responsible.”
– Shrouded in mystery –
Saudi journalist Khashoggi, a critic of the Islamic petro-state’s powerful crown prince and a Washington Post contributor, was last seen on October 2 entering his country’s consulate in Istanbul.
His disappearance had been shrouded in mystery and triggered an international crisis, with Turkish officials accusing Saudi Arabia of a state-sponsored killing and dismembering his body.
The public prosecutor said 18 people, all Saudi nationals, have been detained in connection to the probe.
The Saudi king also ordered the setting up of ministerial committee under the chairmanship of the crown prince, widely known as MBS, to restructure the kingdom’s intelligence agency and “define its powers accurately”, state media said.
The controversy has put the kingdom — for decades a key Western ally and bulwark against Iran in the Middle East — under unprecedented pressure to offer an explanation to take the heat off its rulers.
It evolved into a major crisis for Prince Mohammed, a Trump administration favourite who has portrayed himself as a modernising Arab reformer, but whose image and even position at home could now be gravely undermined.
“Dismissing Saud al-Qahtani and Ahmad al-Assiri is as close to MBS as it is possible to go,” said Kristian Ulrichsen, a fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute in the United States.
“Interesting to see if these moves prove sufficient. If the drip-drip of additional details continue, there’s no buffer to shield MBS any longer.”
– Threat of sanctions –
Shortly before Riyadh confirmed that Khashoggi had been killed, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi King Salman agreed in telephone talks to continue cooperation in the investigation into the Khashoggi affair.
Erdogan and Salman “emphasised the importance of continuing to work together with complete cooperation”, said a Turkish presidential source, who asked not to be named.
The United States warned Friday of a “wide range” of responses should it determine that Saudi Arabia is behind the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as Turkey widened its investigation into the scandal.
President Donald Trump said the United States could impose sanctions over the feared murder of Khashoggi while his top diplomat Mike Pompeo told Voice of America Radio: “We’ll certainly consider a wide range of potential responses.” The Trump administration has been notably slow to criticise Saudi Arabia, despite mounting evidence that Khashoggi, a critic of the Islamic petro-state’s powerful crown prince, vanished after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
The Khashoggi case has presented Trump with one of the most acute foreign policy crises of his nearly two-year-old presidency.
Saudi Arabia’s admission comes after Turkish authorities widened their probe on Friday, searching a forest in Istanbul city.
Fifteen staff, all Turkish nationals, testified at the chief prosecutor’s office, state-run news agency Anadolu said. It has been reported that Turkish employees were given the day off on October 2, the day Khashoggi disappeared.
White House says ‘saddened’ to hear Khashoggi’s death
The White House said Saturday it was “saddened” to hear the confirmation of Saudi Arabia’s dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s death, but made no mention of action against the major US ally.
Saudi Arabia on Saturday said Khashoggi, 60, was killed inside its consulate in Istanbul after “discussions” at the consulate devolved into an altercation, without disclosing any details on the whereabouts of his body.
“We are saddened to hear confirmation of Mr Khashoggi’s death, and we offer our deepest condolences to his family, fianc e and friends,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said after the Saudi Arabia issued a statement saying the journalist was killed in a fist fight with unidentified men inside the consulate.
President Donald Trump said he doesn’t think he was lied to by Saudi leaders over the death of Khashoggi.
“I think it’s a great first step,” Trump said on Saudi Arabia’s statement which he says he considers credible.
As many as 18 people have been taken into custody, according to Saudi officials.
An investigation in this regard is on.
“The United States acknowledges the announcement from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that its investigation into the fate of Jamal Khashoggi is progressing and that it has taken action against the suspects it has identified thus far,” Sanders said.
“We will continue to closely follow the international investigations into this tragic incident and advocate for justice that is timely, transparent and in accordance with all due process,” the White House Press Secretary said.
The Saudi statement confirming the death of Khashoggi in a fist fight did not appear to be credible for some US lawmakers, who demanded that Riyadh be held accountable for the incident.
Senator Lindsay Graham said it’s hard to find this latest “explanation” as credible.
“To say that I am skeptical of the new Saudi narrative about Mr Khashoggi is an understatement,” he said.
“The claim that Khashoggi was killed while brawling with 15 men dispatched from Saudi Arabia is not at all credible. If he was fighting with those sent to capture or kill him, it was for his life. The kingdom must be held to account. If (the Trump) administration doesn’t lead, Congress must,” Congressman Adam Schiff said.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Elliott Engel demanded a full account of what happened.
Congressman Jim Costa said that he is appalled by the reports that Saudi officials were involved in the death of Khashoggi.
“As we learn more details of Khashoggi’s disappearance, the US must send a clear message that we will not condone such reprehensible behaviour that goes against our American values.
“We must carefully examine both the facts surrounding Khashoggi’s disappearance as well as our relationship with Saudi Arabia, and I call on the President to take strong action in unwavering defence of our values. If the President will not stand up to Saudi Arabia, then we in Congress must stand strong for our nation, our values and journalists throughout the world,” Costa said.
“Where is the body?” asked Congressman Eric Swalwell.
“Khashoggi’s family deserve immediate custody of the remains as they seek some measure of closure,” he added.
Khashoggi, who lived in the US as a legal permanent resident and worked for ‘The Washington Post’, was last seen on October 2 entering his country’s consulate in Istanbul.
In a statement, Saudi Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb said: “Preliminary investigations… revealed that the discussions that took place between him and the persons who met him… at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul led to a brawl and a fist fight with the citizen, Jamal Khashoggi, which led to his death, may his soul rest in peace.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
