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Saudi Arabia said on Saturday that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has died, and said it fired two senior officials over the incident that has provoked an international outcry and strained relations between Riyadh and the West.
Saudi state media said King Salman had ordered the dismissal of five officials, including Saud al-Qahtani, a royal court adviser seen as the right-hand man to Crown Prince Mohammed, and deputy intelligence chief Ahmed Asiri.
A statement from the Saudi public prosecutor said a fight broke out between Khashoggi and people who met him in the consulate and led to his death.
"The investigations are still underway and 18 Saudi nationals have been arrested," the statement on state media said, adding that royal court adviser Saud al-Qahtani and deputy intelligence chief Ahmed Asiri have been fired from their positions.
Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, went missing after entering the consulate on Oct. 2 to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that Congress "will be very much involved" in formulating the U.S. response to the case of missing Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.Trump told reporters in Arizona that lawmakers "indirectly and directly" will influence the U.S. response after he earlier warned against calls from some in Congress to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia."I'm gonna have very much Congress involved in determining what to do," he said. "I will very much listen to what Congress has to say."Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. He has not been seen or heard from since.His case has prompted a terse response from Democrats and Republicans alike who are weighing imposing harsh penalties on the Kingdom if it is determined to have killed Khashoggi, a U.S. resident who moved to Virginia.The bipartisan furor has been stoked by media reports alleging grisly details of his demise at the hands of a team reportedly sent at the direction of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler.Saudi consulate employees in Istanbul give testimony at prosecutor's officeAs Khashoggi crisis grows, Saudi king asserts authority, checks son's powerAirbus Defence and Space chief to skip Saudi investment conferenceSaudi Arabia has denied involvement.Lawmakers from both chambers, meanwhile, have openly discussed imposing sanctions on Riyadh, a close U.S. ally in the Middle East, as well as an end to support for Riyadh's air campaign in Yemen and a possible end to arms sales to the Kingdom valued at $110 billion.Trump continued to voice opposition to the arms embargo, saying Saudi Arabia buys $450 billion worth of U.S. goods supporting at least 600,000 American jobs. It was not immediately clear what accounts for the additional $340 billion."I will in this case make certain recommendations," Trump said. "It would be very hurtful to this country if we said, 'oh, we're not going to sell it to you.' So there are other things we can do," he said."I will very much listen to what Congress has to say. They feel very strongly about it also," he added.Should Congress seek to end arms sales over the president's objections, Trump could veto the move if it passes, but he would risk an override by a two-thirds majority of lawmakers in each chamber -- a scenario more likely if Democrats take either chamber in November's midterm elections. Republicans currently control the Senate and the House.Of the possible U.S. responses, Trump said sanctions "could be" one of the consequences.As Khashoggi crisis grows, Saudi king asserts authority, checks son's powerUK academic calls for Saudi sanctions in Khashoggi caseSaudi may blame adviser for Khashoggi killing: report
Trump: Congress to be involved in Khashoggi response
Saturday's comments marked the first time since Khashoggi went missing that the Saudis admitted to his death.
Turkish officials had said they believed he was killed in the building. Saudi Arabia had previously denied the allegations and said Khashoggi had left the building shortly after.
King Salman also ordered the formation of a ministerial committee headed by the crown prince to restructure the general intelligence agency, state media said.
The disappearance of Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist, strained relations between Saudi Arabia and Western allies. Arab allies have rallied to Riyadh's support, but Western pressure has intensified on Saudi Arabia to provide convincing answers.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that Congress "will be very much involved" in formulating the U.S. response to the case of missing Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.Trump told reporters in Arizona that lawmakers "indirectly and directly" will influence the U.S. response after he earlier warned against calls from some in Congress to suspend arms sales to Saudi Arabia."I'm gonna have very much Congress involved in determining what to do," he said. "I will very much listen to what Congress has to say."Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. He has not been seen or heard from since.His case has prompted a terse response from Democrats and Republicans alike who are weighing imposing harsh penalties on the Kingdom if it is determined to have killed Khashoggi, a U.S. resident who moved to Virginia.The bipartisan furor has been stoked by media reports alleging grisly details of his demise at the hands of a team reportedly sent at the direction of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler.Saudi consulate employees in Istanbul give testimony at prosecutor's officeAs Khashoggi crisis grows, Saudi king asserts authority, checks son's powerAirbus Defence and Space chief to skip Saudi investment conferenceSaudi Arabia has denied involvement.Lawmakers from both chambers, meanwhile, have openly discussed imposing sanctions on Riyadh, a close U.S. ally in the Middle East, as well as an end to support for Riyadh's air campaign in Yemen and a possible end to arms sales to the Kingdom valued at $110 billion.Trump continued to voice opposition to the arms embargo, saying Saudi Arabia buys $450 billion worth of U.S. goods supporting at least 600,000 American jobs. It was not immediately clear what accounts for the additional $340 billion."I will in this case make certain recommendations," Trump said. "It would be very hurtful to this country if we said, 'oh, we're not going to sell it to you.' So there are other things we can do," he said."I will very much listen to what Congress has to say. They feel very strongly about it also," he added.Should Congress seek to end arms sales over the president's objections, Trump could veto the move if it passes, but he would risk an override by a two-thirds majority of lawmakers in each chamber -- a scenario more likely if Democrats take either chamber in November's midterm elections. Republicans currently control the Senate and the House.Of the possible U.S. responses, Trump said sanctions "could be" one of the consequences.As Khashoggi crisis grows, Saudi king asserts authority, checks son's powerUK academic calls for Saudi sanctions in Khashoggi caseSaudi may blame adviser for Khashoggi killing: report Trump: Congress to be involved in Khashoggi response
Before the Saudi announcements, U.S. President Donald Trump said he might consider sanctions against Saudi Arabia over the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, while emphasizing the importance of the U.S.-Saudi relationship.
In Istanbul, Turkish prosecutors investigating Khashoggi's disappearance questioned Turkish employees of the Saudi consulate on Friday, widening the hunt for clues in a case straining Riyadh's alliance with Western powers.
Turkish police searched a forest on Istanbul's outskirts and a city near the Sea of Marmara for Khashoggi's remains, two senior Turkish officials told Reuters, after tracking the routes of cars that left the consulate and the consul's residence on the day he vanished.
Investigators have recovered samples from searches of both buildings to analyze for traces of Khashoggi's DNA.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the alleged murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a former chief of British intelligence agency MI6 said Friday.Speaking to the BBC, Sir John Sawers said the theory that rogue elements in the Saudi military were responsible was “blatant fiction”.Sawers’ comments follow remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump that Khashoggi was presumed dead and the consequences for Saudi Arabia would be “severe” if Saudi leaders were found to have ordered his alleged murder.“I think President Trump and his ministerial team are waking up to just how dangerous it is to have people acting with a sense that they have impunity in their relationship with the United States,” Sawers said.“If it is proven, and it looks very likely to be the case, that [Prince Mohammed] ordered the killing of the journalist, it is a step too far; one that the UK, the EU and the U.S. are going to have to respond to.”Sawers underlined that the “rogue elements” theory of the journalist’s death “simply doesn’t hold water” and that it “further undermines respect for America when it panders to such blatant fiction”.“The level of detail that is coming out from Turkish security sources is so clear that some form of tape must exist,” he said, praising Turkish intelligence services’ work on the case.“The level of detail is very damning of the hit squad, and [their reported identities] show how close they are to the crown prince.”Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said there would be “consequences” that would affect British-Saudi ties if Khashoggi was murdered in a brutal way in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.Hunt said the suspected killing of Khashoggi is “completely unacceptable” for the UK.However, he also signaled that Britain’s response would be “considered” towards an ally in the battle against terrorism and with which it has multi-billion pound arms contracts. “Let’s be absolutely clear: if the stories that we read about are true, and if you are asking me whether that will have consequences for the relationship with Saudi Arabia, then, yes, of course it will because what is alleged to have happened is totally inconsistent with our values...not just the brutality of it, if it happened, but also the fact that he was a journalist,” Hunt said, speaking to the BBC. “Part of our reaction will depend on the Saudi reaction, and whether we sense that they are taking it as seriously as we are taking it. But this is a very, very serious matter.”Hunt said the UK’s “relationship with the Saudis is a strategic relationship as well”.“Our response will be considered... (but) in the end, if these stories are true, we have to be absolutely clear; it would not be consistent with our values,” he added.On the same day of Khashoggi's disappearance, 15 other Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while he was still inside, according to Turkish police sources.All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.The investigation into Khashoggi’s disappearance continues.
Saudi prince behind Khashoggi murder: Ex-MI6 chief
Speaking to reporters in Scottsdale, Arizona, Trump said it was too early to say what the consequences for the incident might be, but that the U.S. Congress would be involved in determining the American response.
Asked whether Saudi sanctions were one of the measures he was considering, Trump said, "Could be, could be," though he provided no details.
"We're going to find out who knew what when and where. And we'll figure it out," Trump added.
The U.S. Congress is controlled by Trump's fellow Republicans, some of whom have called for tough action against Saudi Arabia.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said late Friday he is "deeply troubled" by the confirmed death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.His remarks came after Saudi Arabia admitted Khashoggi was killed after a brawl inside its consulate in Istanbul. Khashoggi had been missing since early October after entering the diplomatic building."The Secretary-General is deeply troubled by the confirmation of the death of Jamal Khashoggi," said Stephane Dujarric, Guterres’s spokesman. "He extends his condolences to Mr. Khashoggi’s family and friends."As Khashoggi crisis grows, Saudi king asserts authority, checks son's powerGuterres "stresses the need for a prompt, thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Khashoggi’s death and full accountability for those responsible," said the statement.Preliminary investigations carried out by the Public Prosecution Office revealed that Khashoggi had "a quarrel and brawl with the persons he met" at the consulate, which "resulted in his death", the state-run Saudi Press Agency said in a statement.The agency reported that 18 Saudi citizens have been arrested over links to Khashoggi’s death and those having such links will be held accountable and brought to justice.Saudi consulate employees in Istanbul give testimony at prosecutor's officeTurkish probe locates exact site of Khashoggi killing: Al Jazeera
UN chief ‘deeply troubled’ by Khashoggi’s death
"I will very much listen to what Congress has to say. They feel very strongly about it also," Trump said.
Trump, who said on Thursday he believes Khashoggi is likely dead and has warned of a potential "very severe" response, has appeared unwilling to distance himself too much from the Saudis, citing Riyadh's role in countering Iranian influence in the Middle East and lucrative potential arms deals.
"Saudi Arabia has been a great ally, they've been a tremendous investor in the United States," Trump said, adding, "That's why this is so sad."
"They agreed to spend $450 billion on buying in and investing in the United States, so I hope we can keep that open. ... There are plenty of other things we can do," he said, adding, "I might know a lot by Monday. I know a lot already."
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the alleged murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a former chief of British intelligence agency MI6 said Friday.Speaking to the BBC, Sir John Sawers said the theory that rogue elements in the Saudi military were responsible was “blatant fiction”.Sawers’ comments follow remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump that Khashoggi was presumed dead and the consequences for Saudi Arabia would be “severe” if Saudi leaders were found to have ordered his alleged murder.“I think President Trump and his ministerial team are waking up to just how dangerous it is to have people acting with a sense that they have impunity in their relationship with the United States,” Sawers said.“If it is proven, and it looks very likely to be the case, that [Prince Mohammed] ordered the killing of the journalist, it is a step too far; one that the UK, the EU and the U.S. are going to have to respond to.”Sawers underlined that the “rogue elements” theory of the journalist’s death “simply doesn’t hold water” and that it “further undermines respect for America when it panders to such blatant fiction”.“The level of detail that is coming out from Turkish security sources is so clear that some form of tape must exist,” he said, praising Turkish intelligence services’ work on the case.“The level of detail is very damning of the hit squad, and [their reported identities] show how close they are to the crown prince.”Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said there would be “consequences” that would affect British-Saudi ties if Khashoggi was murdered in a brutal way in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.Hunt said the suspected killing of Khashoggi is “completely unacceptable” for the UK.However, he also signaled that Britain’s response would be “considered” towards an ally in the battle against terrorism and with which it has multi-billion pound arms contracts. “Let’s be absolutely clear: if the stories that we read about are true, and if you are asking me whether that will have consequences for the relationship with Saudi Arabia, then, yes, of course it will because what is alleged to have happened is totally inconsistent with our values...not just the brutality of it, if it happened, but also the fact that he was a journalist,” Hunt said, speaking to the BBC. “Part of our reaction will depend on the Saudi reaction, and whether we sense that they are taking it as seriously as we are taking it. But this is a very, very serious matter.”Hunt said the UK’s “relationship with the Saudis is a strategic relationship as well”.“Our response will be considered... (but) in the end, if these stories are true, we have to be absolutely clear; it would not be consistent with our values,” he added.On the same day of Khashoggi's disappearance, 15 other Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while he was still inside, according to Turkish police sources.All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.The investigation into Khashoggi’s disappearance continues.Saudi prince behind Khashoggi murder: Ex-MI6 chief
The Turkish prosecutor's office obtained testimony from 20 consulate employees.
The consulate employees questioned included accountants, technicians and a driver. The investigation is being conducted by the prosecutor's terrorism and organized crime bureau.
Turkey said it had not shared with any country audio recordings purportedly documenting Khashoggi's murder inside the consulate, dismissing reports it had passed them to the United States.
"We will share the results that emerge transparently with the whole world," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said.
The U.S. on Friday expressed "sadness" over the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside Riyadh's consulate in Istanbul. Khashoggi died after a brawl inside the consulate and 18 Saudi citizens have been arrested over the murder, said the Kingdom.White House Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement that the U.S. acknowledged Saudi Arabia’s announcement and was "closely" following the developments."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," Sanders said. "We are saddened to hear confirmation of Mr. Khashoggi’s death, and we offer our deepest condolences to his family, fiancée, and friends."Lost Saudi journo had urged Arab youth to fight tyrannyAs Khashoggi crisis grows, Saudi king asserts authority, checks son's powerKhashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, had gone missing since entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.On the day of his disappearance, 15 other Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while Khashoggi was still inside, according to Turkish police sources. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.Saudi consulate employees in Istanbul give testimony at prosecutor's officeTurkish probe locates exact site of Khashoggi killing: Al Jazeera
US 'saddened' over confirmed death of Saudi journalist
Khashoggi's disappearance has tarnished the crown prince's reputation and deepened questions about his leadership, prompting Saudi King Salman to intervene, five sources with links to the Saudi royal family told Reuters.
The crown prince has painted himself as the face of a vibrant new kingdom, diversifying its economy away from oil and introducing some social changes. Other moves have faced criticism, including involvement in Yemen's war, the arrest of women activists and a diplomatic dispute with Canada.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and senior ministers from France, Britain and the Netherlands have abandoned plans to attend an Oct. 23-25 investor conference in Riyadh.
On Friday, the CEOs of Deutsche Bank and ABB , plus Airbus' defense chief and energy historian Daniel Yergin, joined a list of Western business executives who have withdrawn.
Pakistan's prime minister and a delegation led by Russian Direct Investment Fund head Kirill Dmitriev plan to participate. Britain's BAE Systems is sending senior representatives.
A conference spokesperson confirmed the conference would proceed with an updated program that includes heads of state from the Arab world, Africa and Asia.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said late Friday he is "deeply troubled" by the confirmed death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.His remarks came after Saudi Arabia admitted Khashoggi was killed after a brawl inside its consulate in Istanbul. Khashoggi had been missing since early October after entering the diplomatic building."The Secretary-General is deeply troubled by the confirmation of the death of Jamal Khashoggi," said Stephane Dujarric, Guterres’s spokesman. "He extends his condolences to Mr. Khashoggi’s family and friends."As Khashoggi crisis grows, Saudi king asserts authority, checks son's powerGuterres "stresses the need for a prompt, thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Khashoggi’s death and full accountability for those responsible," said the statement.Preliminary investigations carried out by the Public Prosecution Office revealed that Khashoggi had "a quarrel and brawl with the persons he met" at the consulate, which "resulted in his death", the state-run Saudi Press Agency said in a statement.The agency reported that 18 Saudi citizens have been arrested over links to Khashoggi’s death and those having such links will be held accountable and brought to justice.Saudi consulate employees in Istanbul give testimony at prosecutor's officeTurkish probe locates exact site of Khashoggi killing: Al Jazeera UN chief ‘deeply troubled’ by Khashoggi’s death