Khashoggi's sons plead for father's body return
The sons of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi delivered an emotional appeal on Sunday asking for the return of their father's body in an interview with CNN.
In their first interview since their father was murdered, Salah and Abdullah Khashoggi said that the past few weeks have been painful for them as they continue to wait for more information on the death of their father.
Khashoggi, a Saudi national and columnist for The Washington Post, disappeared Oct. 2 after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to receive paperwork he needed to get married.
Once inside, he was immediately strangled and then dismembered, according to the Istanbul Prosecutor’s office.
Without having the body, their family is unable to properly have a funeral service and achieve closure, the two sons noted.
"All what we want right now is to bury him in Al-Baqi [cemetery] in Medina with the rest of his family," Salah told CNN.
According to Salah and Abdullah, their father was being misinterpreted and misrepresented due to political reasons.
In an interview with Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law and Middle East adviser, and John Bolton, national security adviser, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called Khashoggi a sympathizer of the Muslim Brotherhood and a dangerous Islamist, however Khashoggi's sons pushed back on this.
"It's just labels and people not doing their homework properly, and reading his article and going in depth. It's easier to stick a label on him," Abdullah said in response to these claims.
"Jamal was never a dissident. He believed in the monarchy that it is the thing that is keeping the country together. And he believed in the transformation that it is going through," Salah said.
As the eldest brother, Salah has been made the point person by Saudi authorities, and the strain of that along with receiving calls from all of Khashoggi's relatives shows in his deeply sunken eyes.
The fiancee of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi on Friday demanded the international community to help reveal the truth about the whereabouts of his body.In an opinion piece published in The Washington Post exactly one month after Khashoggi first disappeared and also on International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, Hatice Cengiz said the "coincidence is tragic and painful.""If the democracies of the world do not take genuine steps to bring to justice the perpetrators of this brazen, callous act — one that has caused universal outrage among their citizens — what moral authority are they left with?" Cengiz said.Khashoggi, a Saudi national and columnist for The Washington Post, disappeared Oct. 2 after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to receive paperwork he needed to get married. Once inside, he was immediately strangled and then dismembered, according to the Istanbul Prosecutor’s office.Her piece was an invitation to the international community to take steps to reveal the whole truth of the killing, to bring the perpetrators to justice and to deliver Khashoggi's body to his family."We are now going through a test of humanity. And it requires leadership. The biggest responsibility lies on the heads of the governments," Cengiz said.Cengiz noted efforts of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and others there in managing the matter, and called for other leaders to join in these efforts."So I invite the leaders of all European countries and the United States to pass this test. Justice must be served. Those who ordered this murder — even if they stand in the highest political office — should also be prosecuted. I demand justice for my beloved Jamal," said Cengiz."We must all send a clear message that authoritarian regimes cannot kill journalists ever again," she wrote.Norway summoned Saudi ambassador over Khashoggi murderPompeo says 'handful more weeks' before US responds to Khashoggi killingIsraeli official says Khashoggi death 'despicable', but Iran greater challenge'Khashoggi’s body was dismembered, dissolved in acid'
Khashoggi's fiancee says killers must be brought to justice
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Friday the order for journalist Jamal Khashoggi's killing came from the top levels of the Saudi government.In an opinion piece published in The Washington Post, Erdoğan said Turkey knows the perpetrators are among the 18 suspects detained in Saudi Arabia."We also know that those individuals came to carry out their orders: Kill Khashoggi and leave. Finally, we know that the order to kill Khashoggi came from the highest levels of the Saudi government," said Erdoğan. Khashoggi, a Saudi national and columnist for The Washington Post, disappeared Oct. 2 after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to receive paperwork he needed to get married.Once inside, he was immediately strangled and then dismembered, according to the Istanbul Prosecutor’s office.The president said Turkey's efforts led the world to learn Khashoggi was killed in cold blood by a death squad and established his murder was premeditated."Yet there are other, no less significant questions whose answers will contribute to our understanding of this deplorable act," said Erdoğan, including the whereabouts of Khashoggi's body, the identity of the "local collaborator" who was given his remains, and who ordered the killing."Unfortunately, the Saudi authorities have refused to answer those questions," said Erdoğan, who pledged to keep asking questions, which he said were crucial to the Turkish probe into the murder.'Khashoggi’s body was dismembered, dissolved in acid'Saudi prince disparaged Khashoggi in US calls: reportGermany hardening line on Saudi Arabia and Khashoggi'Proper burial'"At the very least, he deserves a proper burial in line with Islamic customs. We owe it to his family and friends, including his former colleagues at The Post, to give them an opportunity to say their goodbyes and pay their respects to this honorable man," said Erdoğan.He said Ankara and Riyadh enjoy friendly relations despite the killing."I do not believe for a second that King Salman, the custodian of the holy mosques, ordered the hit on Khashoggi. Therefore, I have no reason to believe that his murder reflected Saudi Arabia’s official policy. In this sense, it would be wrong to view the Khashoggi slaying as a 'problem' between two countries," said the president.Also, he said the "longtime" friendship between Turkey and Saudi Arabia does not mean Ankara would "will turn a blind eye to the premeditated murder that unfolded in front of our very eyes."The killing of Khashoggi is inexplicable," said Erdoğan.The president warned that no one should dare commit "such acts on the soil of a NATO ally again". "If anyone chooses to ignore that warning, they will face severe consequences. The Khashoggi murder was a clear violation and a blatant abuse of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Failure to punish the perpetrators could set a very dangerous precedent.”Erdoğan also slammed inaction against the Saudi consul general, who he said lied through his teeth to the media and fled Turkey shortly afterward, calling it "deeply concerning"."As responsible members of the international community, we must reveal the identities of the puppet masters behind Khashoggi’s killing and discover those in whom Saudi officials — still trying to cover up the murder — have placed their trust," he said.Norway summoned Saudi ambassador over Khashoggi murderPompeo says 'handful more weeks' before US responds to Khashoggi killingIsraeli official says Khashoggi death 'despicable', but Iran greater challenge
Erdoğan says top Saudi officials ordered Khashoggi hit
Norway summoned the Saudi ambassador on Thursday over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Norwegian Foreign Minister said on Friday."We have raised the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and presented our point of view to the Saudi ambassador several times after it was known," Ine Eriksen Soereide said in a statement."We underlined how seriously we take this issue again yesterday, when he was at the Foreign Ministry for a discussion." Pompeo says 'handful more weeks' before US responds to Khashoggi killingIsraeli official says Khashoggi death 'despicable', but Iran greater challenge'Khashoggi’s body was dismembered, dissolved in acid'Saudi prince disparaged Khashoggi in US calls: report
Norway summoned Saudi ambassador over Khashoggi murder
However, being the point person with the Saudi government has not given Salah any more information than the rest of the world.
"Our source is the same source that you have. It is a mystery. This is putting a lot of burden on us -- all of us. That everybody is seeking for information just as we do. They think that we have answers, and unfortunately we don't," Salah said.
The younger sibling Abdullah, who lives in the United Arab Emirates, said he was the last child of Khashoggi to see him alive. He went to Turkey in September to visit him and his fiancee Hatice Cengiz.
"He was happy. It was a very good opportunity for me to see him. We hung out in Istanbul, we had fun," Abdullah said. "I was really lucky to have last moment with him. I feel very grateful."
The death of Khashoggi was an unusual one, and with that the brothers are facing not only grief but also confusion.
"It's difficult, it's not easy. Especially when the story gets this big. It's not easy, it's confusing. Even the way we grieve, it's a bit confusing," Abdullah said. "We're trying to be emotional and at the same time we're trying to get the story -- bits and pieces of the story to complete the whole picture. It's confusing and difficult. It's not a normal situation and not a normal death."
"I still can't believe he is dead. It's not sinking in with me emotionally," Salah added. "The emotional burden that is coming with the puzzle, is really big."
Salah said he was waiting for the investigation to be concluded and for the truth to come out, and believed in Saudi King Salman bin Abdelaziz.
"The King has stressed that everybody involved will be brought to justice. And I have faith in that. This will happen. Otherwise Saudi wouldn't have started an internal investigation," Salah said.
The chief of a Qatari daily said Friday that Turkey had refrained from politicizing the killing of a Saudi journalist and was dealing with the issue in a professional manner.Jaber al-Haremi, director general of Dar al-Arab, told Anadolu Agency that while Turkey had endeavored to uphold good relations with the Saudi kingdom since the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, Riyadh had continually rejected Ankara’s positive approach.Khashoggi, a Saudi national and columnist for The Washington Post, disappeared on Oct. 2 after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to receive paperwork he needed to get married. Once inside, he was immediately strangled and then dismembered, according to the Istanbul Prosecutor’s office.Al-Haremi said Oct. 2 would remain a day of sorrow for the press, emphasizing that Khashoggi was targeted for his ideas, ideals and aspirations as well as his advocacy for jailed journalists in Saudi Arabia and throughout the world.'Khashoggi’s body was dismembered, dissolved in acid'Saudi prince disparaged Khashoggi in US calls: reportGermany hardening line on Saudi Arabia and KhashoggiArab media covers Turkey's Khashoggi statement
Turkey praised for handling of Khashoggi affair
Friends and supporters gathered for a memorial service Friday in honor of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.The service was organized by the newly created Justice for Jamal organization, which aims to continue efforts to raise awareness of the journalist's death.Khashoggi, a Saudi national and columnist for The Washington Post, disappeared Oct. 2 after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul to receive paperwork he needed to get married. Once inside, he was immediately strangled and then dismembered, according to the Istanbul Prosecutor’s office."It is really hard for me to believe that you are really gone," said Nihad Awad, head of the Coalition of Islamic American Relations (CAIR).Awad, a close friend of Khashoggi for 25 years, said the journalist’s legacy is something the world should not forget, and he planned to make sure the Saudis do not forget either.The CAIR director told Anadolu Agency he is working on a petition to change the name of the street in front of the Saudi Embassy in Washington from New Hampshire Avenue to “Jamal Khashoggi Way.”Other colleagues of the journalist discussed that his death brings to light other heinous acts against people who show any form of criticism to Saudi Arabia.“The same exact attorney general who went to Turkey to investigate the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered for his peaceful activism and journalism, is actually seeking the death penalty against my father for similar peaceful activism,” said Abdullah Alaoudh, fellow at Georgetown University.Alaoudh’s father, Salman Alaoudh, an internationally recognized Islamic scholar, is currently imprisoned in Saudi Arabia and was charged with terrorism against the country.'Khashoggi’s body was dismembered, dissolved in acid'Arab media covers Turkey's Khashoggi statementUS urges return of Khashoggi's remains to familyHatice Cengiz, Khashoggi's fiancée, also sent a video message to the service, and called on U.S. President Donald Trump to help in obtaining his body.“I would like you to support Turkey’s legal efforts to bringing light to this situation and to discover the whereabout of his body,” she said.Following the service, experts participated in a panel discussing on the political environment in Saudi Arabia in light of Khashoggi's death.Courtney Radsch, journalist and director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, noted the Saudis use public relations firms and software to uplift their social media strategy and spy on dissidents.“The Pegasus software, which is an Israeli software that is sold by a U.S. company, which was used to spy, potentially, on Jamal Khashoggi,” she added.They also discussed how Washington-based think-tanks shy away from criticizing Saudi Arabia due to the country’s influence in the U.S.Human Rights Watch Director Tom Porteous said these think-tanks never stray far from the Washington consensus on foreign policy, in order to appear relevant.“Another important point is that they accept money from governments. They accept money from the U.S. government. They accept money from Middle Eastern governments, from Bahrain, from Saudi Arabia,” Porteous said.Norway summoned Saudi ambassador over Khashoggi murderPompeo says 'handful more weeks' before US responds to Khashoggi killingIsraeli official says Khashoggi death 'despicable', but Iran greater challenge
US mourners gather at service for Jamal Khashoggi
The Amnesty International on Friday placed a mock "Khashoggi Street" sign outside the Saudi Embassy in London in an attempt to draw attention to the brutal killing of the journalist.Jamal Khashoggi, a columnist for the Washington Post, went missing on Oct. 2 after he entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. After denying to know his whereabouts for several days, the Saudi government claimed the journalist was killed inside the consulate in a "rogue operation". They have yet to produce his body.In a statement, the London-based human rights watchdog said: “A mock 'Khashoggi Street' sign was erected near the gates of the Saudi embassy, exactly one month after CCTV cameras last recorded the journalist entering the consulate building in Istanbul."Amnesty also urged for a UN investigation into the killing. “The whole world has been shocked by this grotesque killing, and it’s vital that we don’t let the outrage fade away without justice being done," said Kate Allen, U.K. director of Amnesty International.Saudi prince disparaged Khashoggi in US calls: reportArab media covers Turkey's Khashoggi statementUS urges return of Khashoggi's remains to family“We need to see Jamal Khashoggi’s killers brought to justice -- not only those who actually carried out the murder, but those who ordered it and knew it was about to happen.“Contrary to claims made by the Saudi Crown Prince and others, Saudi Arabia hasn’t been ‘reforming’, it’s been rounding up critics and activists in a brutal human rights crackdown.“One thing Britain urgently needs to do is halt all further arms sales to the Saudi Arabia and other members of the military coalition in Yemen,” she said in a statement.Commenting on the Saudi-led war in Yemen, Amnesty said in the past three-and-a-half years "numerous coalition bombs and missiles have struck Yemeni hospitals, food depots, marketplaces, civilian buses, factories and funeral halls.”“The UN assesses that the 'majority' of the thousands of Yemeni civilian deaths are a direct result of this aerial barrage, while thousands more have been injured.“Meanwhile, armed Houthi opposition groups have also indiscriminately shelled residential areas of towns and cities,” it said.Norway summoned Saudi ambassador over Khashoggi murderIsraeli official says Khashoggi death 'despicable', but Iran greater challenge'Khashoggi’s body was dismembered, dissolved in acid'
Amnesty places Khashoggi sign outside Saudi embassy in UK