Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Saudi Arabia's crown prince is expected to address an investment forum on Wednesday that has been overshadowed by the outcry over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a day after Turkey urged Riyadh to search "top to bottom" for those responsible.
The kingdom has come under increasing pressure in the crisis that has strained its ties with key Western allies. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday Saudi authorities had staged the "worst cover-up ever" in Khashoggi's death as the United States vowed to revoke the visas of some of the Saudi suspects.
Dozens of Western politicians, top world bankers and company executives boycotted this year's Future Investment Initiative conference that opened in Riyadh on Tuesday, but the world's largest oil exporter showed it could still do business by signing deals worth $50 billion on the first day.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler and architect of its reform drive, had briefly appeared at the venue, declaring the event as "great - more people more money", but did not address the conference.
The UN said Tuesday it would investigate the case of killed Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi if Turkey requests.“We will wait to see whether we get a formal request from Turkey," UN spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters. "If we get something like that we will evaluate it and make a decision based on the request we received.”For any UN probe to be successful the international body would need the cooperation of all relevant parties, Haq added.'EU reaction on Khashoggi depends on Saudi steps'Khashoggi, who wrote for the Washington Post, was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.After denying knowledge of Khashoggi's whereabouts for more than two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday said he was killed during a fight inside the diplomatic facility.But Khashoggi's body has not been recovered, and Riyadh has yet to explain its shifting narrative on what transpired.Trump rips Saudi Arabia's Khashoggi plotStephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, said shortly after Saudi Arabia's announcement that the UN chief "is deeply troubled by the confirmation of the death of Jamal Khashoggi."Guterres "stresses the need for a prompt, thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Khashoggi’s death and full accountability for those responsible," Guterres said.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan earlier Tuesday laid out his country’s initial findings in its investigation, saying Khashoggi's murder was "premeditated."Erdoğan said all information and evidence that has been uncovered showed Khashoggi was the victim of a brutal murder.Saudi teams explored Istanbul's Belgrad Forest and the northwestern province of Yalova before murdering Khashoggi, Erdoğan said.US to pull visas of Saudis involved in Khashoggi death
UN would investigate Khashoggi if Turkey requests
The prince, known as MbS, arrived after attending a meeting at which his father and strongest supporter King Salman received members of Khashoggi's family, including his son Salah. State news agency SPA published pictures of the meeting, including one of the crown prince shaking hands with Salah, who seemed ill at ease.
MbS is scheduled to speak in a panel in the late afternoon on Wednesday. The prince told Bloomberg earlier this month that Riyadh would announce an "amazing deal" at FII this year, where the mood has been subdued compared to the 2017 inaugural event.
Khashoggi, a critic of the crown prince, vanished after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct 2. After Riyadh first denied any involvement in his disappearance, a Saudi official eventually attributed the death to a chokehold.
Turkish and Saudi officials examined on Tuesday a diplomatic car belonging to the Saudi Consulate found abandoned at a parking lot in Istanbul, security sources said.Two suitcases and various items belonging to consulate employees were found in the diplomatic car with the number plate "34 CC 1736", said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.The officials accompanied by sniffer and cadaver dogs left the site after a two-and-a-half-hour operation and the vehicle was also taken out from the parking lot.Istanbul police had found the vehicle in the city's Sultangazi district last week and acquired permission of the chief prosecutor's office and the Consulate General of Saudi Arabia to examine it.UN would investigate Khashoggi if Turkey requestsKhashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, had gone missing since entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.After days of denying to know his whereabouts, Saudi Arabia on Saturday claimed Khashoggi died during a fight inside the consulate.On the 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.His body has not been recovered and Riyadh has yet to explain its shifting narrative on what transpired.Who is al-Madani, Khashoggi’s body double?US complicity in Saudi abuses starker than before'EU reaction on Khashoggi depends on Saudi steps'Trump rips Saudi Arabia's Khashoggi plotUS to pull visas of Saudis involved in Khashoggi death
Turkish, Saudi officials examine Saudi consulate car
Turkey's president, Tayyip Erdogan, on Tuesday dismissed Saudi efforts to blame Khashoggi's death on rogue operatives, calling the operation a planned, "savage killing", and demanded Riyadh punish those responsible, no matter how highly placed.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States had identified some of the Saudi government and security officials it believed were involved in Khashoggi's murder and would take appropriate actions including revoking U.S. visas.
Despite the boycott by big hitters, including in Wall Street, of the investment conference, some senior international bankers were in Riyadh in a sign that global banks were reluctant to walk away from lucrative Saudi deals.
After the Oct. 2 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, all eyes turned to his body double who appeared in surveillance cameras. Mustafa Al-Madani, 57, who is of similar age and height, was captured on surveillance cameras in Istanbul on the day Khashoggi was murdered.He is seen dressed in the journalist’s clothes, eyeglasses, and his watch to make it look like as if he had left the consulate building.Al-Madani is believed to be part of the 15-member Saudi hit squad, who was allegedly sent to Istanbul to kill the journalist.US complicity in Saudi abuses starker than beforeAccording to some Arab media reports, al-Madani is a manager at a state-run engineering corporation in Saudi Arabia. His social media account also lists him as an engineer.Al-Madani is also seen in some photos on social media while welcoming some individuals in a palace-like place. This shows that al-Madani may be a figure close to Riyadh administration and King Salman bin Abdulaziz. 'EU reaction on Khashoggi depends on Saudi steps'Al-Madani is ‘security officer’According to a Saudi official, who was cited by Reuters on Sunday, al-Madani is part of the hit squad sent to Istanbul comprising officials from the Saudi intelligence and security forces.This report also hints that he is probably a security officer. Meanwhile, a surveillance footage released by CNN shows al-Madani leaving the Saudi consulate by the back door.According to a CNN report, Madani had entered the consulate building by the front door four hours earlier together with Saudi's forensic medicine chief Salah al-Tubaiqi.Trump rips Saudi Arabia's Khashoggi plotThe video obtained by CNN also shows al-Madani without a beard and wearing a blue and white shirt and dark blue trousers. He is also seen in Khashoggi's clothing near the city's Blue Mosque in Sultanahmet district hours after the journalist was seen entering the consulate building on Oct. 2.Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, had gone missing after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. US to pull visas of Saudis involved in Khashoggi deathAfter denying knowledge of Khashoggi's whereabouts for two weeks, Saudi Arabia said he was killed during a "brawl" inside the consulate.His body has not been recovered, nor has Saudi Arabia explained its shifting narrative on what transpired.On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Khashoggi's murder was premeditated, adding that his country had strong evidence showing that it was planned.Video: CCTV footage purports to show man resembling Khashoggi leaving consulate
Who is al-Madani, Khashoggi’s body double?
Saudi finance minister, Mohammed al-Jadaan, met the chief executive of HSBC's global banking and markets' unit and the deputy chairman of Japan's biggest lender MUFG to discuss investment opportunities, the ministry said in Twitter posts.
Russia sent a large delegation to FII led by Direct Investment Fund head Kirill Dmitriev. He said on Tuesday that while Khashoggi's killing needed to be investigated and the culprits punished, the Saudi drive for economic and social reforms could not be ignored.
The U.S. complicity in abuses conducted by Saudi Arabia has become more severe since President Donald Trump came to the White House, the director of a rights group said Tuesday."In the past 80 months since Trump entered the White House, the complicity of the U.S. in Saudi Arabia's abuses has become even starker,” said Human Rights Watch Program Director Tom Porteous. “The same goes for Washington in the face of mounting Saudi oppression at home and support for oppression abroad.”Porteous spoke about the political implications of the Khashoggi affair at a panel hosted by the Arab Center, a Washington D.C.-based think tank.The U.S. has a history of being complacent towards abuses committed by the Saudi government, he said, and the Saudis may have believed they would be immune to any repercussions in the wake of Khashoggi's killing.'EU reaction on Khashoggi depends on Saudi steps'Khashoggi, a Saudi national and columnist for the Washington Post was last seen entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. On Saturday, after weeks of denying involvement in his disappearance, Saudi Arabia announced he died in a fight inside the embassy.World leaders have called on the Saudi government to provide more concrete answers on his death amid a global outcry, something Porteous says the Saudis were not expecting."It's now idle speculation to suspect that the reason the Saudis may have thought they could get away with the killing of Jamal Khashoggi in their consulate in Istanbul, is because of the signals of unconditional support coming from the Trump White House and the rest of the U.S. elite," Porteous added.Trump rips Saudi Arabia's Khashoggi plotDokhi Fassihian, another panelist and a director at Freedom House, argued the killing of Khashoggi was not "a huge surprise" and Saudi Arabia has "been categorized as among the worst of the worst countries in terms of political rights and civil liberties"."Saudi Arabia continues to have one of the most restricted media environments in the entire world," said Fassihian.According to Freedom House, a government nonprofit that advocates for democracy and political freedom, Saudi Arabia has consistently maintained the lowest score -- seven out of 100 -- in terms of political rights for the past 30 years.US to pull visas of Saudis involved in Khashoggi deathShe went further to say that unless Saudi citizens are freed, "reform is really just a mirage"."Obviously, this is an important test. It's a test of U.S. leadership and global leadership on human rights. It's also a test of raw Saudi power. And every authoritarian government today is paying attention," Fassihian added.
US complicity in Saudi abuses starker than before
The European Union’s reaction to the killing of Jamal Khashoggi will depend on the next steps that will be taken by the Saudi authorities, the EU foreign policy chief said on Tuesday.Speaking at the EU Parliament, Federica Mogherini said the EU has "asked Saudi Arabia to shed light on the events of Oct. 2 through a full, credible, transparent and prompt investigation"."We have also asked Saudi Arabia for full collaboration with the Turkish authorities."We hope that everyone will work towards the goal of establishing the facts. This is the starting point," Mogherini said, adding that the investigation must be driven by the search for truth and not by geopolitics.Trump rips Saudi Arabia's Khashoggi plotMogherini said the confirmation of Khashoggi's death was a first step towards the truth and towards accountability."But the explanations offered so far by the Saudi authorities leave many doubts and many questions unanswered.Recalling the Foreign Affairs Council last week, Mogherini said all 28 Foreign Ministers of the EU member states agreed to demand a credible and transparent investigation."We are working on further steps and statements to be taken together," she added.Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, had gone missing since entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.After days of denying to know his whereabouts, Saudi Arabia last week claimed Khashoggi died during a fight inside the consulate.On the 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.
'EU reaction on Khashoggi depends on Saudi steps'
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday ripped Saudi Arabia's effort to conceal the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi."They had a very bad original concept. It was carried out poorly, and the coverup was one of the worst in the history of coverups," Trump told reporters at the White House."Whoever thought of that idea I think is in big trouble, and they should be in big trouble."Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. He was never seen exiting the diplomatic facility.After denying knowledge of Khashoggi's whereabouts for more than two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday said he was killed during a brawl inside the diplomatic facility.But Khashoggi's body has not been recovered, and Riyadh has yet to explain its shifting narrative on what transpired.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan earlier Tuesday laid out his country’s initial findings in its investigation, saying Khashoggi's murder was "premeditated".Video: Trump says Saudis staged 'worst cover-up ever' on KhashoggiErdoğan said all information and evidence that has been uncovered showed Khashoggi was the victim of a brutal murder.Saudi teams explored Istanbul's Belgrad Forest and the northwestern province of Yalova before murdering Khashoggi, Erdoğan said.Trump said Erdoğan was "pretty rough on Saudi Arabia" during his comments, noting that the U.S. has intelligence officials in both Saudi Arabia and Turkey working on the Khashoggi case.CIA Director Gina Haspel is among them as she works to comb through the facts in Turkey."They are heading back. I will know, I think, everything in a very short period of time," Trump said. "It's a bad situation. But certainly President Erdoğan was not complimentary about what happened. That was a terrible thing that happened."US to pull visas of Saudis involved in Khashoggi deathErdoğan speaks on phone wıth Khashoggi's family, sends condolencesErdoğan: Evidence shows Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murdered
Trump rips Saudi Arabia's Khashoggi plot
The U.S. is revoking the visas of some Saudi officials who have been implicated in the slaying of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday.The officials work for a variety of Saudi offices, including the royal court, the intelligence services, the foreign ministry and other Saudi ministries, but Pompeo did not specify which individuals would be affected possibly because visa records are confidential."The United States does not tolerate this kind of ruthless action to silence Mr. Khashoggi, a journalist, through violence," Pompeo said.The State Department later confirmed that a total of 21 suspects would be affected by visa revocations.The move marks Washington's first punitive measure against Riyadh following Khashoggi's death.Addressing reporters, the top diplomat said the state and treasury departments are working to review "the applicability" of a U.S. law intended to punish human rights abusers for the individuals suspected of involvement in Khashoggi's death.Four key senators triggered an investigation on Oct. 10 into Khashoggi's disappearance under the Global Magnitsky Act.In a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump, the minority and majority leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the leaders of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee responsible for the State Department called on Trump to determine whether imposing sanctions "with respect to any foreign person responsible for such a violation related to Mr. Khashoggi" is warranted.Canadian PM says it would be hard to scrap big Saudi arms dealSaudi stocks continue decline despite support from state fundsTrump has 120 days from the date of the letter to issue his determination."These penalties will not be the last word on the matter from the United States," Pompeo said. "We will continue to explore additional measures to hold those responsible accountable."Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan earlier Tuesday laid out his country’s initial findings in its investigation, saying Khashoggi's murder was "premeditated".Erdoğan said all information and evidence that has been uncovered showed Khashoggi was the victim of a brutal murder.Saudi teams explored Istanbul's Belgrad Forest and the northwestern province of Yalova before murdering Khashoggi, Erdoğan said.Pompeo said Ankara has been "very cooperative with us, and the Turks have told us the Saudis have cooperated with them as well”.Erdoğan speaks on phone wıth Khashoggi's family, sends condolencesSaudi crown prince says satisfied with investment conference in Riyadh
US to pull visas of Saudis involved in Khashoggi death