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Update Dec 04:
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/cia-...ry?id=59598135
Update Nov 16:
https://www.smh.com.au/world/middle-...17-p50gn3.html
Update Oct 19:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/19/saud...consulate.html
Update Oct 15:
https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/15/middl...key/index.html
Oct 11:
https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/...y-13300365.php
https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/11/polit...ist/index.html
After CIA briefing, Republicans say 'no question' Saudi crown prince ordered Khashoggi murder
Following a briefing to senators by CIA director Gina Haspel Tuesday on the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi leading Republicans told reporters that there was "zero question" that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the brutal murder.
Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican, said "I have zero question in my mind that the Crown Prince MBS ordered the killing, monitored the killing, knew exactly what was happening. Planned it in advanced. If he was in front of a jury he would be convicted in 30 minutes. Guilty," Corker said.
Corker called the Trump administration's claim that there is no direct evidence of the crown prince's involvement "unacceptable."
South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said, "It's not a smoking gun, it's a smoking saw."
Given those comments, it appeared Haspel's briefing would not help the administration win back support for its military aid to the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, but the fact that it's limited to a smaller group has angered many senators, including Republican allies of President Trump.
Haspel did not attend a classified briefing last week on Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Instead, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary James Mattis briefed all 100 senators, urging them to vote down a War Powers Resolution that would pull U.S. support to the coalition, which is powered by the Saudis and the United Arab Emirates and fighting an alliance led by Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen. Pompeo and Mattis said U.S. support for that war was vital for national security and they denied that there was any "direct" evidence that the Crown Prince was involved in Khashoggi's killing.
Senators were furious that Haspel did not show, blaming the White House for blocking her. Hours after that briefing, unhappy with the administration's lack of answers and unwavering support for the Saudis despite the murder of Khashoggi, a majority of senators voted to advance that Yemen resolution.
Now, before it comes up for a vote to pass it, the administration dispatched Haspel to provide answers to the Republican chairmen and top Democrats on key national security panels -- the Senate's Armed Services, Foreign Relations, and Intelligence Committees and the Foreign Operations Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee.
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Following a briefing to senators by CIA director Gina Haspel Tuesday on the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi leading Republicans told reporters that there was "zero question" that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the brutal murder.
Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican, said "I have zero question in my mind that the Crown Prince MBS ordered the killing, monitored the killing, knew exactly what was happening. Planned it in advanced. If he was in front of a jury he would be convicted in 30 minutes. Guilty," Corker said.
Corker called the Trump administration's claim that there is no direct evidence of the crown prince's involvement "unacceptable."
South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said, "It's not a smoking gun, it's a smoking saw."
Given those comments, it appeared Haspel's briefing would not help the administration win back support for its military aid to the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, but the fact that it's limited to a smaller group has angered many senators, including Republican allies of President Trump.
Haspel did not attend a classified briefing last week on Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Instead, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary James Mattis briefed all 100 senators, urging them to vote down a War Powers Resolution that would pull U.S. support to the coalition, which is powered by the Saudis and the United Arab Emirates and fighting an alliance led by Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen. Pompeo and Mattis said U.S. support for that war was vital for national security and they denied that there was any "direct" evidence that the Crown Prince was involved in Khashoggi's killing.
Senators were furious that Haspel did not show, blaming the White House for blocking her. Hours after that briefing, unhappy with the administration's lack of answers and unwavering support for the Saudis despite the murder of Khashoggi, a majority of senators voted to advance that Yemen resolution.
Now, before it comes up for a vote to pass it, the administration dispatched Haspel to provide answers to the Republican chairmen and top Democrats on key national security panels -- the Senate's Armed Services, Foreign Relations, and Intelligence Committees and the Foreign Operations Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee.
[…….]
Update Nov 16:
Saudi crown prince ordered Khashoggi's assassination: CIA
The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul last month, contradicting the Saudi government's claims that he was not involved.
The CIA's assessment, in which officials have said they have high confidence, is the most definitive to date linking Mohammed to the operation and complicates the Trump administration's efforts to preserve its relationship with a close ally.
A team of 15 Saudi agents flew to Istanbul on government aircraft in October and killed Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate, where he had come to pick up documents that he needed for his planned marriage to a Turkish woman.
In reaching its conclusions, the CIA examined multiple sources of intelligence, including a phone call that the prince's brother Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, had with Khashoggi, according to the people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Khalid told Khashoggi, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post, that he should go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents and gave him assurances that it would be safe to do so.
It is not clear if Khalid knew that Khashoggi would be killed, but he made the call at his brother's direction, according to the people familiar with the call, which was intercepted by US intelligence.
Fatimah Baeshen, a spokeswoman for the Saudi embassy in Washington DC, said the ambassador and Khashoggi never discussed "anything related to going to Turkey." She added that the claims in the CIA's "purported assessment are false. We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations."
The CIA's conclusion about Mohammed's role was also based on the agency's assessment of the prince as the country's de facto ruler who oversees even minor affairs in the kingdom.
"The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved," said a US official familiar with the CIA's conclusions.
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The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul last month, contradicting the Saudi government's claims that he was not involved.
The CIA's assessment, in which officials have said they have high confidence, is the most definitive to date linking Mohammed to the operation and complicates the Trump administration's efforts to preserve its relationship with a close ally.
A team of 15 Saudi agents flew to Istanbul on government aircraft in October and killed Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate, where he had come to pick up documents that he needed for his planned marriage to a Turkish woman.
In reaching its conclusions, the CIA examined multiple sources of intelligence, including a phone call that the prince's brother Khalid bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, had with Khashoggi, according to the people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Khalid told Khashoggi, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post, that he should go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents and gave him assurances that it would be safe to do so.
It is not clear if Khalid knew that Khashoggi would be killed, but he made the call at his brother's direction, according to the people familiar with the call, which was intercepted by US intelligence.
Fatimah Baeshen, a spokeswoman for the Saudi embassy in Washington DC, said the ambassador and Khashoggi never discussed "anything related to going to Turkey." She added that the claims in the CIA's "purported assessment are false. We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations."
The CIA's conclusion about Mohammed's role was also based on the agency's assessment of the prince as the country's de facto ruler who oversees even minor affairs in the kingdom.
"The accepted position is that there is no way this happened without him being aware or involved," said a US official familiar with the CIA's conclusions.
[…..]
Update Oct 19:
Saudi Arabia claims Khashoggi was killed in a fight, contrary to other accounts
- Saudi Arabia says dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi died in a fight at its consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.
- Its account contradicts its own earlier claim that Khashoggi left shortly after arriving the consulate.
- Previous media reports, citing Turkish officials, said Khashoggi was tortured, killed and dismembered.
Missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi is dead, Saudi Arabia's general prosecutor said early Saturday morning local time.
The government said that Khashoggi got into a fight with the people he met at the consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. The kingdom alleged that Khashoggi died in that clash.
That explanation counters multiple reports of how Khashoggi died. Turkish officials told The New York Times that it has audio evidence which proves Khashoggi was tortured, killed and subsequently dismembered by a hit team of Saudi agents.
It also contradicts the Saudi government's earlier account of events. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman previously told Bloomberg that the dissident journalist left the consulate shortly after he arrived.
"My understanding is he entered and he got out after a few minutes or one hour. I'm not sure. We are investigating this through the foreign ministry to see exactly what happened at that time," he told Bloomberg at the time.
When asked to confirm that Khashoggi is not inside the consulate, the crown prince told Bloomberg, "Yes, he's not inside."
The announcement comes more than two weeks after Khashoggi was last seen in public, entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Khashoggi was a frequent critic of Saudi Arabia's royal family and wrote columns for The Washington Post.
The kingdom also fired Deputy Chief of General Intelligence Ahmad bin Hassan Asiri and royal court advisor Abdullah Al-Qahtani. The kingdom also said a committee would be formed to restructure its intelligence agency under the supervision of Prince Mohammed, "to modernize its regulations and define its powers precisely."
On Thursday, The New York Times reported that Saudi officials close to the crown prince planned on blaming Asiri for Khashoggi's death. The Times said by making Asiri a scapegoat, the government could help shield the crown prince from blame.
Through its state press, the kingdom said it has detained 18 Saudi nationals after preliminary investigations linked them to the case.
Saudi Arabia said it "is taking the necessary measures to clarify the circumstances in the case of Saudi citizen Jamal Khashoggi" and that "all those involved will be brought to justice."
In the weeks following Khashoggi's disappearance, the international community increasingly pressed Saudi Arabia for the dissident's whereabouts. U.S. President Donald Trump also faced mounting criticism for being too soft in his response.
On Thursday, Trump acknowledged Khashoggi was likely dead and said he would consider "very severe consequences" if Saudi Arabia is found responsible. Vice President Mike Pence said that the U.S. will not "solely rely" on information provided by Saudi Arabia.
Several members of Congress have called for swift sanctions on oil-rich Saudi Arabia in the uproar over Khashoggi.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., quickly expressed his doubts about the Saudi explanation for the journalist's death.
- Saudi Arabia says dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi died in a fight at its consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.
- Its account contradicts its own earlier claim that Khashoggi left shortly after arriving the consulate.
- Previous media reports, citing Turkish officials, said Khashoggi was tortured, killed and dismembered.
Missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi is dead, Saudi Arabia's general prosecutor said early Saturday morning local time.
The government said that Khashoggi got into a fight with the people he met at the consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. The kingdom alleged that Khashoggi died in that clash.
That explanation counters multiple reports of how Khashoggi died. Turkish officials told The New York Times that it has audio evidence which proves Khashoggi was tortured, killed and subsequently dismembered by a hit team of Saudi agents.
It also contradicts the Saudi government's earlier account of events. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman previously told Bloomberg that the dissident journalist left the consulate shortly after he arrived.
"My understanding is he entered and he got out after a few minutes or one hour. I'm not sure. We are investigating this through the foreign ministry to see exactly what happened at that time," he told Bloomberg at the time.
When asked to confirm that Khashoggi is not inside the consulate, the crown prince told Bloomberg, "Yes, he's not inside."
The announcement comes more than two weeks after Khashoggi was last seen in public, entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Khashoggi was a frequent critic of Saudi Arabia's royal family and wrote columns for The Washington Post.
The kingdom also fired Deputy Chief of General Intelligence Ahmad bin Hassan Asiri and royal court advisor Abdullah Al-Qahtani. The kingdom also said a committee would be formed to restructure its intelligence agency under the supervision of Prince Mohammed, "to modernize its regulations and define its powers precisely."
On Thursday, The New York Times reported that Saudi officials close to the crown prince planned on blaming Asiri for Khashoggi's death. The Times said by making Asiri a scapegoat, the government could help shield the crown prince from blame.
Through its state press, the kingdom said it has detained 18 Saudi nationals after preliminary investigations linked them to the case.
Saudi Arabia said it "is taking the necessary measures to clarify the circumstances in the case of Saudi citizen Jamal Khashoggi" and that "all those involved will be brought to justice."
In the weeks following Khashoggi's disappearance, the international community increasingly pressed Saudi Arabia for the dissident's whereabouts. U.S. President Donald Trump also faced mounting criticism for being too soft in his response.
On Thursday, Trump acknowledged Khashoggi was likely dead and said he would consider "very severe consequences" if Saudi Arabia is found responsible. Vice President Mike Pence said that the U.S. will not "solely rely" on information provided by Saudi Arabia.
Several members of Congress have called for swift sanctions on oil-rich Saudi Arabia in the uproar over Khashoggi.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., quickly expressed his doubts about the Saudi explanation for the journalist's death.
Update Oct 15:
Saudis preparing to admit Jamal Khashoggi died during interrogation, sources say
According to two sources, the Saudis are preparing a report that will acknowledge that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death was the result of an interrogation that went wrong, one that was intended to lead to his abduction from Turkey.
One source says the report will likely conclude that the operation was carried out without clearance and transparency and that those involved will be held responsible.
One of the sources acknowledged that the report is still being prepared and cautioned that things could change.
The Washington Post columnist was last seen in public when he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in Turkey on October 2. Previously, Saudi authorities had maintained Khashoggi left the consulate the same afternoon of his visit, but provided no evidence to support the claim. Khashoggi's fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, who was waiting outside the consulate, says she did not see him re-emerge.
According to two sources, the Saudis are preparing a report that will acknowledge that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death was the result of an interrogation that went wrong, one that was intended to lead to his abduction from Turkey.
One source says the report will likely conclude that the operation was carried out without clearance and transparency and that those involved will be held responsible.
One of the sources acknowledged that the report is still being prepared and cautioned that things could change.
The Washington Post columnist was last seen in public when he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in Turkey on October 2. Previously, Saudi authorities had maintained Khashoggi left the consulate the same afternoon of his visit, but provided no evidence to support the claim. Khashoggi's fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, who was waiting outside the consulate, says she did not see him re-emerge.
Oct 11:
Khashoggi was killed, Turks say
The Turkish government has told U.S. officials that it has audio and video recordings that prove Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul this month, according to U.S. and Turkish officials.
The recordings show that a Saudi security team detained Khashoggi in the consulate after he walked in on Oct. 2 to obtain an official document before his upcoming wedding, then killed him and dismembered his body, the officials said.
The audio recording in particular provides some of the most persuasive and gruesome evidence that the Saudi team is responsible for Khashoggi's death, the officials said.
"The voice recording from inside the embassy lays out what happened to Jamal after he entered," said one person with knowledge of the recording who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss highly sensitive intelligence.
"You can hear his voice and the voices of men speaking Arabic," this person said. "You can hear how he was interrogated, tortured and then murdered."
A second person briefed on the recording said men could be heard beating Khashoggi.
[…..]
The Turkish government has told U.S. officials that it has audio and video recordings that prove Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul this month, according to U.S. and Turkish officials.
The recordings show that a Saudi security team detained Khashoggi in the consulate after he walked in on Oct. 2 to obtain an official document before his upcoming wedding, then killed him and dismembered his body, the officials said.
The audio recording in particular provides some of the most persuasive and gruesome evidence that the Saudi team is responsible for Khashoggi's death, the officials said.
"The voice recording from inside the embassy lays out what happened to Jamal after he entered," said one person with knowledge of the recording who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss highly sensitive intelligence.
"You can hear his voice and the voices of men speaking Arabic," this person said. "You can hear how he was interrogated, tortured and then murdered."
A second person briefed on the recording said men could be heard beating Khashoggi.
[…..]
Saudis discussed plan to lure Jamal Khashoggi to Saudi Arabia, US intercepts show
The US has intercepts of Saudi officials discussing a plan to lure journalist Jamal Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia and detain him, according to a US official familiar with the intelligence.
Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi journalist and critic of the regime, has been missing for more than a week after going to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul for an appointment that he had scheduled to obtain wedding papers. Turkish officials privately believe he was killed at the consulate, an allegation denied by Saudi Arabia, which says he left the consulate the day he arrived.
The official said it is unclear if the original plan was to murder Khashoggi or if something went wrong at the consulate and that he might have been killed during an attempt to kidnap him. Getting Khashoggi to the consulate appears to have been a backup plan, the source said, because he couldn't be persuaded to fly back to Saudi Arabia.
[…..]
The US has intercepts of Saudi officials discussing a plan to lure journalist Jamal Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia and detain him, according to a US official familiar with the intelligence.
Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi journalist and critic of the regime, has been missing for more than a week after going to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul for an appointment that he had scheduled to obtain wedding papers. Turkish officials privately believe he was killed at the consulate, an allegation denied by Saudi Arabia, which says he left the consulate the day he arrived.
The official said it is unclear if the original plan was to murder Khashoggi or if something went wrong at the consulate and that he might have been killed during an attempt to kidnap him. Getting Khashoggi to the consulate appears to have been a backup plan, the source said, because he couldn't be persuaded to fly back to Saudi Arabia.
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