Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman
Whitewashing the disappearance and possible killing of a Saudi journalist “won’t be easy,” even for the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, wrote a Washington Post columnist Wednesday.
“Putting a lid on a murder investigation won’t be easy, even for the brashly confident crown prince,” wrote Post columnist David Ignatius in "MBS’s rampaging anger will not silence questions about Jamal Khashoggi," a piece harshly critical of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, called MBS in the piece.
Khashoggi, also a columnist for the Washington Post, is feared killed at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul after he entered on Oct. 2 and was never seen exiting.
A Chinese daily criticized the U.S for its “double standards” toward the case of a Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who went missing after entering Saudi Consulate in Istanbul earlier this month.In an editorial with a headline “Khashoggi case tests Washington’s attitude to human rights,” Global Times said U.S. President Donald Trump promised punishment if the Riyadh’s involvement in Khashoggi's death is confirmed but he doesn't support stopping weapon sales to Saudi Arabia."The crisis has shown how human rights issues are positioned in the diplomatic arena. Killing a journalist for political reasons touches the bottom line of individual rights and causes wide resonance beyond national borders,” the daily wrote."The price it (Saudi Arabia) will pay depends on whether the Trump administration will let it off the hook for the sake of US commercial interests and geopolitical calculations," it is said.Turkey hopes to enter Saudi consul’s residence on Wednesday: FMKhashoggi has long been feared killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul after he entered on Oct. 2 and was never seen exiting.On the same day, 15 Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the building while Khashoggi was still inside, Turkish police sources said. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.Saudi authorities have yet to give a clear explanation of Khashoggi’s fate, while several countries -- particularly Turkey, the U.S. and the U.K. -- have expressed their desire that the matter should be elucidated as soon as possible.The daily compared the approach of the West toward missing Saudi journalist and former Russian agent Sergei Skripal's poisoning in the U.K. in March.It said the Western countries -- led by the Britain -- took an immediate action against Russia by expelling Russian diplomats after former Russian agent Sergei Skripal got poisoned in the city of Salisbury in early 2018, but there were very few denunciations from the West against Saudi Arabia upon Khashoggi's disappearance."Now Western public opinion is much angrier toward Saudi Arabia. Spontaneous boycotts quickly took place. But in contrast, fewer denunciations come from the Western governments and no country is taking the lead in punishing Saudi Arabia," the newspaper added.Saudi consul general leaves Turkey for RiyadhSergei Skripal and his daughter were admitted to a hospital after being found unconscious on March 4 in the English city of Salisbury. They have both since been discharged.Police officer Bailey, who was among the first to respond to the incident, also received treatment after being poisoned.Sergei Skripal was granted refuge in the U.K. following a 2010 spy exchange between the U.S. and Russia. Before the exchange, he had been serving a 13-year prison term for leaking information to British intelligence.The British government has claimed that in the most debated incident in Salisbury last March, two Russian military intelligence agents who were identified as Ruslan Boshirov and Alexander Petrov used a banned nerve agent called novichok targeting former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.Leading US senator accuses Saudi prince of ordering Khashoggi killingEvidence found in Saudi consulate proving Khashoggi was killed there
Chinese daily slams approach of US over Khashoggi case
As the “brave journalist” Khashoggi entered the consulate, he also started a “catastrophic process” which put Salman’s “own future in question,” wrote Ignatius.
“Surrounded by yes-men who saw suppressing dissent as part of a media war, and rattled by the reversal of his dreams for economic reform, MBS moved toward the fateful moment when Khashoggi entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul,” he wrote.
“The darkening mood inside MBS’s palace in recent months shows a crown prince facing economic pressure and tightening his circle of advisers,” Ignatius added.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said he hopes that the residence of Saudi Arabia's consul general will be searched on Wednesday."The search of the Saudi consul general residence did not happen on Tuesday due to claims of the family's presence, but the team hopes to enter today," Çavuşoğlu said.Following permission for a search of the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkish and Saudi officials are to search the residence of the Saudi consul concerning the case of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi.Spain 'concerned' on case of missing Saudi journalistAmid the ongoing investigation of Khashoggi however, Saudi Arabia's Consul General in Istanbul Mohammad al-Otaibi left Turkey for Riyadh on Tuesday.Khashoggi has long been feared killed at the consulate after he entered the Saudi Consulate building in Istanbul on Oct. 2 and was never seen exiting.On the same day, 15 other Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while Khashoggi was still inside, Turkish police sources said. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.Five Khashoggi suspects linked to crown prince: NY TimesRecordings reveal Khashoggi tortured then dismembered while still aliveTurkey, U.S. are “on the same page on lifting sanctions”Speaking from the airport in Ankara, Çavuşoğlu said talks with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were "beneficial and fruitful." Pompeo was on a brief visit to Turkey after having met with the Saudi king, crown prince and foreign minister in Riyadh on Tuesday.Çavuşoğlu said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told Pompeo Turkey could easily clear northern Syria's Manbij of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) if Washington failed to do so.The YPG is the armed wing of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), which is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States.MoU between Turkey, Russia on Idlib ‘being implemented’The foreign minister added that the U.S. “accepts there is a delay in implementing the Manbij roadmap.”The Manbij deal between Turkey and the U.S. focuses on the withdrawal of YPG/PKK terrorists from the city to stabilize the region, which is in the northeast of Aleppo province in northern Syria.Çavuşoğlu said Turkey and the U.S. “are on same page regarding the lifting of sanctions and other related matters.”US continues to arm PKK terrorists in Syria under the pretext of fighting Daesh
Turkey hopes to enter Saudi consul’s residence on Wednesday: FM
Saud al-Qahtani, Salman’s media advisor, is also increasingly his “consigliere in the kingdom’s battles with foreign adversaries such as Qatar and Iran as well as domestic critics.”
“U.S. officials believe that, in addition to seeking dominance in social media, Qahtani and other advisers have helped MBS use the latest and most aggressive hacking techniques against adversaries,” he said, adding that Qahtani urged Saudi to report “enemies of the kingdom” on his Twitter account, which has 1.3 million followers.
“MBS’s tight inner circle has helped him push modernization efforts, such as reducing the power of the religious police, allowing women to drive and opening movie theaters and other public entertainment. But his team of palace advisers has often amplified, rather than challenged, the crown prince’s worst impulses,” he said.
A prominent U.S. senator has blasted U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach to the disappearance of a Saudi journalist, suggesting he may be thinking more about his wallet than solving the case."The Saudis bailed out Donald Trump’s failed businesses for years. How much money did he take?” Senator Elizabeth Warren, a likely Democratic Party challenger to Trump seeking a second term, said on Twitter late Tuesday.“What's the going rate to get the President to act as a mouthpiece for a Saudi king? Trump should release his tax returns so we can find out," she added.Spain 'concerned' on case of missing Saudi journalistTrump has suggested that “rogue killers” may be responsible for the presumed death of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist who went missing after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. On the same day Khashoggi disappeared, 15 other Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the building while was also inside, according to Turkish police sources. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.A joint Turkish-Saudi team has been investigating the disappearance, including through a search of the consulate with Saudi permission.Five Khashoggi suspects linked to crown prince: NY TimesTrump gives Saudi Arabia benefit of doubt in journalist's disappearance'Khashoggi case not only global matter, also a test for Turkish judiciary'Recordings reveal Khashoggi tortured then dismembered while still alive
US senator blasts Trump over Khashoggi case
The crown prince “went into a funk for several days after learning of Khashoggi’s death before re-emerging on a rampage of anger around what happened and trying to figure out a response," Ignatius said, citing an anonymous “knowledgeable source.”
On Monday, Turkish and Saudi officials searched the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul after the start of a joint probe into the disappearance.
Saudi authorities have yet to give a clear explanation of what happened to Khashoggi, while several countries -- particularly Turkey, the U.S., and the U.K. -- are pressing for the mystery to be cleared up as soon as possible.
An Israeli security official said Israel is relying on official statements coming from Saudi Arabia regarding missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi."Tel Aviv is counting on statements made by Saudi Arabia, not stories coming out from Turkey," the official told the London-based Elaph newspaper, requesting anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to media.The Israeli official argued that reports emerging from Turkey “were not based on evidence” and that Tel Aviv indirectly stood with Riyadh over the case.Recordings reveal Khashoggi tortured then dismembered while still aliveHe said Israel was waiting for the completion of a Saudi-Turkish joint probe into Khashoggi’s disappearance.The security official claimed that international media was counting on social media accounts while reporting on Khashoggi’s case, instead of Saudi sources.The official’s statement is the first reaction coming from Israel regarding the disappearance of the veteran Saudi journalist.Five Khashoggi suspects linked to crown prince: NY TimesAccording to Elaph, the Israeli media did not give much coverage to the case.Yossi Melman, a security analyst from Israel's Maariv Daily, had previously argued that Israeli intelligence service Mossad might have been involved in Khashoggi’s case."I hope that Mossad doesn't have a hand in the murder of Khashoggi, not even indirectly," he had said.He cited that Mossad had been involved in the abduction of Mehdi Ben Berka, a Moroccan opposition leader who disappeared in Paris in 1956.Khashoggi, a columnist for the Washington Post newspaper, has long been feared killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul after he entered on Oct. 2 and was never seen exiting.US's Pompeo to meet President Erdoğan, Turkish counterpartOn Monday, Turkish and Saudi officials searched the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul after the start of a joint probe into the missing journalist.Saudi authorities have yet to give a clear explanation of what happened to Khashoggi, while several countries -- particularly Turkey, the U.S., and the U.K. -- are pressing for the mystery to be cleared up as soon as possible.
Israel using Saudi statements on Khashoggi: Official
Some of the suspects identified by Turkey in the disappearance of a Saudi journalist in Istanbul had ties to Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, according to a New York Times report on the case."The New York Times has confirmed independently that at least nine of 15 suspects identified by Turkish authorities worked for the Saudi security services, military or other government ministries," the newspaper reported late Tuesday, referring to the case of Jamal Khashoggi, who disappeared after entering the the Saudi Consulate on Oct. 2.The Times has frequently cited "Turkish officials" supposedly giving details of the case, but without giving any names.Trump gives Saudi Arabia benefit of doubt in journalist's disappearanceIt stated that one of the suspects was a “frequent companion” of Salman who was alongside the crown prince during visits to Paris, Madrid, Houston, Boston, and the UN, publishing photos showing the suspect in Salman’s entourage.Three other suspects were part of Salman’s security detail, said the story.A fifth suspect was said to be a forensic science expert holding a senior position in the Saudi Interior Ministry and country's medical institutes.President Erdoğan, US’ Pompeo meet in AnkaraUnclear fateKhashoggi is feared killed after he entered the consulate and was never seen exiting.On that same day, 15 Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the building while Khashoggi was still inside, Turkish police sources said. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.Saudi authorities have yet to give a clear explanation of Khashoggi’s fate, while several countries -- particularly Turkey, the U.S. and the U.K. -- have pressed for the matter to be cleared up as soon as possible.'Khashoggi case not only global matter, also a test for Turkish judiciary'"Turkish officials have said they possess evidence that the 15 Saudi agents flew into Istanbul on Oct. 2, assassinated Mr. Khashoggi, dismembered his body with a bone saw they had brought for the purpose, and flew out the same day,” reported the Times, without giving the names of the officials reportedly cited.“Records show that two private jets chartered by a Saudi company with close ties to the Saudi crown prince and Interior Ministry arrived and left Istanbul on the day of Mr. Khashoggi’s disappearance," the story added.Five reported suspectsFive suspects linked to Khashoggi’s disappearance were named in the Times story.Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb, one of the suspects, was a diplomat in the Saudi Embassy in London and has travelled frequently with the crown prince, perhaps as a bodyguard, said the Times.Recordings reveal Khashoggi tortured then dismembered while still aliveAbdulaziz Mohammed al-Hawsawi, said to work on Salman’s security team and for the Saudi royal family, was identified as a second suspect.A third suspect was said to be Thaar Ghaleb al-Harbi, who was promoted last year to lieutenant in the Saudi royal guard for his bravery in the defense of Mohammed’s palace in Jeddah.A fourth suspect, Muhammed Saad Alzahrani, was another member of the royal guard.Rounding out the suspects was Salah al-Tubaigy, a forensic doctor and reported autopsy expert.Europe may need to change Saudi policies over Khashoggi case: Merkel ally
Five Khashoggi suspects linked to crown prince: NY Times
Yeni Şafak daily has obtained information indicating that there are numerous voice recordings from inside the Saudi consulate located in Turkey’s Istanbul where missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi entered on Oct. 2 and never reemerged.In one of the recordings, Saudi Arabia's Consul General Mohammad al-Otaibi, who left Turkey for Riyadh on Tuesday, can be heard saying: “If you want to live, be quiet!”First torture, then executionSources indicate that Khashoggi was tortured before he was killed. His fingers were allegedly cut off during the interrogation process before he was decapitated.The consul general can be heard saying: “Do this outside. You’re going to get me in trouble.”US Secretary of State Pompeo lands in AnkaraKhashoggi has long been feared killed after he entered the Saudi Consulate building in Istanbul on Oct. 2 and was never seen exiting.He moved to Washington last year fearing retribution for his criticism of Prince Mohammed, who has cracked down on dissent with arrests.On same day Khashoggi went missing, 15 other Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while Khashoggi was still inside, Turkish police sources said. All of the identified individuals, including a forensic expert, have since left Turkey.Europe may need to change Saudi policies over Khashoggi case: Merkel allyKhashoggi killing took seven minutes“It took seven minutes for Jamal Khashoggi to die, a Turkish source who has listened in full to an audio recording of the Saudi journalist's last moments,” told the Middle East Eye.The source said Khashoggi was “dragged from the Consul General’s office at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and onto the table of his study next door. The screaming stopped when Khashoggi was injected with an as yet unknown substance. Head of forensic evidence in the Saudi general security department Salah Muhammad al-Tubaigy began to cut Khashoggi’s body up on a table in the study while he was still alive. As he started to dismember the body, Tubaigy put on earphones and listened to music. He advised other members of the squad to do the same.”'Turkey to solve Saudi journalist case'Khashoggi disappearance tops global agendaSince Khashoggi’s disappearance, many global media outlets have claimed that recordings of his death inside the consulate exist.Turkish officials have told Reuters that authorities have an audio recording indicating that Khashoggi was killed in the consulate, and have shared evidence with countries including Saudi Arabia and the United States. Saudi Arabia has denied any role in Khashoggi's disappearance.Police found “certain evidence” of Khashoggi’s slaying at the consulate, a high-level Turkish official told the Associated Press on Tuesday.Saudi owes Khashoggi family apology: US newspaper CEOTrump says Saudi prince denies knowledge of Khashoggi case
Recordings reveal Khashoggi tortured then dismembered while still alive