Saudi Arabia says Khashoggi died at Istanbul consulate

Trump: Congress to be involved in Khashoggi response

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

Saudi prince behind Khashoggi murder: Ex-MI6 chief

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.

US 'saddened' over confirmed death of Saudi journalist

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

UN chief ‘deeply troubled’ by Khashoggi’s death

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