U.S. President Donald Trump
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".
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday Saudi authorities staged the “worst cover-up ever' in the killing of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi this month, as the United States vowed to revoke the visas of some of those believed to be responsible.
Trump says Saudis staged 'worst cover-up ever' on Khashoggi
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.
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."
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
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with family members of the slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi on Tuesday and sent them his condolences, pledging Turkey would do all it can to solve his murder, presidential sources said.They said Erdoğan had expressed his deep sadness at Khashoggi's killing in his call with the family members, including Khashoggi's son Abdullah.Khashoggi vanished after entering the consulate on Oct. 2 to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage.He was a U.S. resident who wrote columns for the Washington Post and a critic of the Saudi government, calling for reforms.After denying any involvement in the disappearance of Khashoggi, 59, for two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday morning said he had died in a fistfight at the consulate. An hour later, another Saudi official attributed the death to a chokehold, which a senior official reiterated.UK 'concerned' to hear Khashoggi murder 'premeditated'Saudi king, crown prince meet Khashoggi family membersKing Salman: Saudi Arabia to hold to account those involved in Khashoggi killing
Erdoğan speaks on phone wıth Khashoggi's family, sends condolences
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Tuesday there were strong indications that Jamal Khashoggi's killing was planned and stated that attempts to blame it on intelligence operatives - Riyadh has suggested it was a rogue operation - "will not satisfy us."Erdoğan said that he does not doubt Saudi King Salman's sincerity, without elaborating. He also said the whereabouts of Khashoggi's body were still unknown and he demanded Saudi Arabia to reveal the identity of a "local cooperator" who purportedly took the body."The murder of Saudi journalist Khashoggi was premeditated," Erdoğan said, adding Khashoggi’s killing was a “political murder.”In a speech to parliament, Erdoğan did not mention Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who some U.S. lawmakers suspect ordered the killing. But he said Turkey would not complete its investigation into Khashoggi's death until all questions were answered.Lebanon’s Hariri hails Saudi effort on Khashoggi murder"Intelligence and security institutions have evidence showing the murder was planned.... Pinning such a case on some security and intelligence members will not satisfy us or the international community," the president remarked.“Consulate cameras had been removed,” Erdoğan said, adding that “the team who committed the murder was previously notified” that Khashoggi would be at the consulate.He said evidence proved Khashoggi was "brutally murdered,” and called for the 18 suspects in the case to stand trial in Istanbul.“Everybody, from the instructor of the murder to the implementer, should answer to clear mankind's conscience,” he said.Indonesia expresses condolences to Khashoggi familyIn his speech, Erdoğan also said that the Saudi government formally admitted to the killing of Khashoggi 17 days after his murder."The Vienna convention would not allow such a'brutal murder to happen," Erdoğan stated."Diplomatic immunity, which is a part of the Vienna Convention, will be debated," he remarked.Erdoğan said a Saudi team of 15 entered the consulate the day of the killing, and that three men from the team went on an exploration trip to Belgrad forest in Istanbul and Yalova, a 90-kilometre (55 mile) drive south of Istanbul.Website of Saudi investment conference hackedKhashoggi vanished after entering the consulate on Oct. 2 to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage.Erdoğan also extended his condolences to Khashoggi’s fiancée, his family and Saudi Arabia.Khashoggi was a U.S. resident who wrote columns for the Washington Post and a critic of the Saudi government, calling for reforms.After denying any involvement in the disappearance of Khashoggi, 59, for two weeks, Saudi Arabia on Saturday morning said he had died in a fistfight at the consulate. An hour later, another Saudi official attributed the death to a chokehold, which a senior official reiterated.Turkey has not yet shared any information with any country on Khashoggi case: FMSaudi foreign minister pledges full probe into Khashoggi killingAK Party to continue cooperation with MHPTurkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party will not form an alliance with the nationalist party for the 2019 local elections, but cooperation between the two parties will continue, Erdoğan said on Tuesday, after the nationalists pulled out of the alliance earlier.The People's Alliance between AK Party and the MHP was formed this February ahead of the June presidential and parliamentary elections, and continued in some forms between the two parties."We see the People's Alliance as one of the most important gains of our country recently, and we want to carry it into future," Erdoğan stressed, but added that it would run independently from the MHP in the March 2019 local election.The president said they never did anything which will harm the spirit of the alliance, adding that his party will not be involved in any action.Turkey's opposition MHP no longer seeks alliance in upcoming local elections, Bahçeli says
Erdoğan: Evidence shows Jamal Khashoggi was brutally murdered