Former U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz
Ernest Moniz, former energy secretary under President Barack Obama, said Wednesday he has suspended his advisory role in a Saudi mega-project over the disappearance of a Saudi journalist.
Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, has not been heard from since Oct. 2 when he visited the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul amid speculation that he was killed by Saudi authorities.
In a written statement, Moniz, who has an advisory role on the board of the $500 billion mega city project NEOM, said "given current events, I am suspending my participation on the NEOM board".
He said the suspension will move ahead until more information is made available about Khashoggi's disappearance.
Eight of the 15 individuals who came to Turkey from Saudi Arabia and are linked with the disappearance of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi have been identified, Turkish security sources said on Wednesday.Jamal Khashoggi was last seen a week ago entering the consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents related to his forthcoming marriage. His fiancée, waiting outside, said he never emerged and Turkish sources said they believe that Khashoggi, a prominent critic of Saudi policies, was killed inside the mission.According to Turkish police, while Khashoggi was inside, 15 Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and entered the consulate.US was aware of plan by Saudi officials to capture Khashoggi: Washington PostIstanbul prosecutors are investigating the incident, while the consulate said on Twitter that it was working in coordination with Turkish authorities.Turkey on Monday conveyed its expectation of "full cooperation" from Saudi Arabia in the search for the missing journalist.Saudi Arabia on Tuesday invited Turkish experts and relevant officials to visit the consulate, according to diplomatic sources.Saudi officials ask Turkish authorities to defer consulate search for missing journalistUS ready to assist on missing Saudi journalist Khashoggi: PenceFifteen Saudis in journalist Khashoggi’s case identifiedNo proof Khashoggi left Saudi consulate, says fiancée
Turkey identifies eight of 15 individuals linked with disappearance of Saudi journalist
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said on Wednesday the United States is ready to help in any way in the investigation of the disappearance of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.Pence was asked on the Hugh Hewitt syndicated radio program if Washington would send FBI technicians to the Saudi consulate in Turkey if Saudi Arabia requested it. "I think the United States of America stands ready to assist in any way," Pence said. Khashoggi was last seen entering the consulate on Oct. 2. Fifteen Saudis in journalist Khashoggi’s case identifiedNo proof Khashoggi left Saudi consulate, says fiancéeTrump yet to speak to Saudis about missing journalist
US ready to assist on missing Saudi journalist Khashoggi: Pence
The NEOM project involves the creation of a huge transnational city and economic zone and covers 26,500 square kilometers in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt.
Saudi authorities have yet to give a clear explanation on the fate of Khashoggi while several countries -- particularly Turkey, the U.S. and the UK -- have expressed their desire that the matter should be elucidated as soon as possible.
According to his fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, Khashoggi first arrived at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Sept. 28. After being told his documents would be ready in a week, Khashoggi went to London and returned to Istanbul on Oct. 1.
Khashoggi called the consulate and was told "that documents are being prepared" and he could come to the consulate. He went to the diplomatic building on Oct. 2 with Cengiz but was not seen after entering it.
The crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, sought to lure missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia and detain him, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.The Washington Post columnist has not been heard from since Oct. 2, when he visited the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, amid speculation that he was killed by Saudi authorities.The Washington Post said there are U.S. intelligence intercepts of Saudi officials discussing the plan.According to some friends of Khashoggi, over the past four months, senior Saudi officials close to bin Salman had called Khashoggi to offer him protection and even a high-level job working for the government if he returned to his home country.The report said Khashoggi was "skeptical" over the offers and told one of his friends that the "Saudi government would never make good on its promises not to harm him".Video: Footage shows Saudi journalist walking into consulate before disappearing"He said: ‘Are you kidding? I don’t trust them one bit,’" Khaled Saffuri, an Arab American political activist, was quoted as saying by The Washington Post.A citizen of Saudi Arabia, Khashoggi served as editor of multiple Saudi newspapers including Arab News and Al-Watan.During his residency in the U.S., he lived in northern Virginia and was a contributor to The Washington Post.The Washington Post said in the report that the intelligence about Saudi Arabia’s earlier plans to detain Khashoggi has raised questions about whether the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump should have warned the journalist that he might be in danger.Turkey identifies eight of 15 individuals linked with disappearance of Saudi journalist"Intelligence agencies have a ‘duty to warn’ people who might be kidnapped, seriously injured or killed, according to a directive signed in 2015. The obligation applies regardless of whether the person is a U.S. citizen. Khashoggi was a U.S. resident," it added.A former senior intelligence official who did not want to be named told The Washington Post: "Capturing him, which could have been interpreted as arresting him, would not have triggered a duty-to-warn obligation.""If something in the reported intercept indicated that violence was planned, then, yes, he should have been warned," the official was quoted as saying.US was aware of plan by Saudi officials to capture Khashoggi: Washington PostThe Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which oversees the warning process, declined to comment on whether Khashoggi had been contacted, according to The Washington Post.Saudi authorities have yet to give a clear explanation on the fate of Khashoggi, while several countries -- particularly Turkey, the U.S. and the UK -- have expressed their desire that the matter should be elucidated as soon as possible.According to his fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, Khashoggi first arrived at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Sept. 28. After being told his documents would be ready in a week, Khashoggi went to London and returned to Istanbul on Oct. 1.Khashoggi called the consulate and was told "that documents are being prepared" and he could come to the consulate. He went to the diplomatic building on Oct. 2 with Cengiz but was not seen after entering it.Saudi officials ask Turkish authorities to defer consulate search for missing journalistUS ready to assist on missing Saudi journalist Khashoggi: PenceNo proof Khashoggi left Saudi consulate, says fiancée
Saudi prince allegedly sought to lure Khashoggi