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The United Arab Emirates on Saturday backed Saudi Arabia's statement about the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the official news agency WAM said.
The Gulf Arab state "commends directives and decisions of Saudi King Salman on the issue of Kashoggi," WAM said on Twitter.
Saudi Arabia has said that Khashoggi, a prominent journalist, died in a fight inside its Istanbul consulate - after two weeks of denials that it had anything to do with his disappearance - and dismissed five officials over the incident.
Saudi Arabia's highest religious body, the Council of Senior Scholars, on Saturday said the king's decisions on the death of Jamal Khashoggi "achieve justice and equality in accordance with Islamic law", according to a statement on state news agency SPA.Saudi Arabia has admitted that Khashoggi, a prominent journalist, died in a fight inside its Istanbul consulate - after two weeks of denials that it had anything to do with his disappearance - and dismissed five officials over the incident.Trump a reluctant critic of Saudi Arabia despite pressure to actSaudi prince behind Khashoggi murder: Ex-MI6 chiefUS 'saddened' over confirmed death of Saudi journalistUN chief ‘deeply troubled’ by Khashoggi’s deathSaudi Arabia sacks top officials over Khashoggi deathSaudi Arabia says Khashoggi died at Istanbul consulate
Saudi senior scholars praise king's decisions on Khashoggi death
Six days after Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi disappeared, U.S. President Donald Trump tried to play down the crisis, saying "hopefully that will sort itself out".It did not, and on Oct. 10, amid a growing outcry, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and national security adviser John Bolton pressed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, in what one U.S. official described as a "stern" phone call, to identify who was responsible for Khashoggi's disappearance or death.Trump then seemed to give Saudi Arabia the benefit of the doubt, suggesting "rogue killers" may have been to blame and criticizing a growing view that this was a case of state murder.He changed his tone once again late this week, raising the prospect of sanctions against Riyadh.Trump: Congress to be involved in Khashoggi responseBut when Saudi Arabia finally admitted on Saturday that Khashoggi was dead, saying he was killed in a fight inside the consulate, Trump said the official explanation was "credible" even as Republican and Democratic lawmakers responded with anger and disbelief.Over the last two weeks, Trump has at times spoken of punishing Saudi Arabia but appeared reluctant to follow through against a close economic and security ally in the Middle East, a key player in ensuring the stability of global oil markets, and a major customer of arms deals that he says are "tremendous"."Trump's dug himself into a hole," said Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East adviser to both Democratic and Republican administrations. "He will have to take some kind of action."Behind the scenes, though, Trump's aides scrambled to craft a response, especially as the bipartisan outcry in the Washington establishment grew.Saudi prince behind Khashoggi murder: Ex-MI6 chiefWhen news of Khashoggi's disappearance first broke, aides made clear to White House chief of staff John Kelly that the case was not going away, two senior White House officials said.Kushner, who had cultivated a close personal relationship with the crown prince, commonly known as MbS, urged Trump to act with caution to avoid upsetting a critical strategic and economic relationship, a senior administration official said.Kushner was heavily involved in making Saudi Arabia Trump's first stop on his maiden international trip as president last year.As grim allegations emerged from Turkey about Khashoggi’s death and the Saudis stuck to their denials, Trump felt pressure from congressional Democrats and some of his own Republicans.US 'saddened' over confirmed death of Saudi journalistU.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican close to Trump, accused MbS of ordering Khashoggi's murder and called him a "wrecking ball" jeopardizing relations with the United States.When Riyadh came out with its official version of what happened inside the consulate, Graham quickly tweeted he was "skeptical of the new Saudi narrative".'NOT A U.S. CITIZEN'Trump sought to justify his muted response by pointing out the incident occurred in Turkey and that Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and columnist for the Washington Post, was "not a United States citizen".Critics accused Trump of trying to give the Saudis diplomatic cover and buy time for them to get their story straight, something Trump's aides denied.UN chief ‘deeply troubled’ by Khashoggi’s deathAt the same time, Peter Navarro, Trump’s White House trade chief and architect of his “Buy American” policy to ease restrictions on foreign arms sales, was stressing the importance of Saudi weapons deals and the implications for U.S. jobs, another administration official told Reuters.Trump repeatedly touted the $110 billion in weapons deals he announced during his visit to Saudi Arabia last year, and insisted around 500,000 U.S. jobs were at stake. Experts have dismissed the sales and jobs numbers as highly exaggerated.Some Trump aides raised doubts about the veracity of the Turkish government’s leaks of what it says happened to Khashoggi.But as the days dragged on and evidence of Khashoggi’s death mounted, Trump's view began to shift, White House officials said.Saudi Arabia sacks top officials over Khashoggi deathHe ordered Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to drop what he was doing and fly to Riyadh for talks at mid-week, and was then briefed by him at the White House on Thursday.Critics slammed Pompeo for appearing to hold court in a festive manner with MbS, undercutting the severity of the U.S. message.But one senior White House official countered, saying Pompeo told the Saudi royals that “you need to give us some legitimate information soon, people aren’t just going to let it drag on.'”Speaking to reporters during a trip to Arizona on Friday, Trump said he was ready to “listen to what Congress has to say” about actions to be taken in the Khashoggi case, yet also made clear he wanted to continue to protect defense contracts, and U.S. jobs dependent on them.Congress has already triggered a mechanism for the U.S. Treasury Department to consider human rights sanctions against Saudi Arabia and some lawmakers have vowed to block further arms sales to Riyadh, a move that Trump is likely to oppose.Saudi Arabia says Khashoggi died at Istanbul consulate
Trump a reluctant critic of Saudi Arabia despite pressure to act
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.Trump: Congress to be involved in Khashoggi responsSaturday'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.Trump: Congress to be involved in Khashoggi responseBefore 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 prince behind Khashoggi murder: Ex-MI6 chiefSpeaking 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 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 prince behind Khashoggi murder: Ex-MI6 chiefThe 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.US 'saddened' over confirmed death of Saudi journalistKhashoggi'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 chief ‘deeply troubled’ by Khashoggi’s death
Saudi Arabia sacks top officials over Khashoggi death
Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi died after a brawl inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Saudi Arabia announced Saturday.Preliminary investigations by the Public Prosecution Office into Khashoggi’s disappearance revealed he had gotten into a “quarrel and brawl” with people he met while in the consulate which led to his death, the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said in a statement.SPA also reported that 18 Saudi citizens have been arrested over links to Khashoggi’s death. Those having such links will be held accountable and brought to justice, it said.Trump: Congress to be involved in Khashoggi responseKhashoggi’s disappearance “drew the attention of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the highest levels, and due to the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, the Kingdom took the necessary procedures to clarify the truth and began by dispatching a security team to Turkey on 6 October 2018 to investigate and cooperate with counterparts in Turkey," SPA said.According to the official news agency, discussions between Khashoggi and the suspects in the Saudi consulate "did not go as required and developed in a negative way," which led to the brawl."Yet the brawl aggravated to lead to his death” and the suspects’ attempt to “conceal and cover what happened," SPA reported.Saudi prince behind Khashoggi murder: Ex-MI6 chiefSaudi Arabia said information provided by Turkey helped the Kingdom reveal the truth about Khashoggi’s murder.According to SPA, Riyadh appreciated the distinguished cooperation of Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the probe into the Khashoggi case.Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and 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.US 'saddened' over confirmed death of Saudi journalistOn Wednesday, crime scene investigation units arrived at the official residence of Saudi Consul General Mohammad al-Otaibi around 4.40 p.m. local time (1340GMT). Al-Otaibi had left Turkey for Riyadh on Tuesday.Officials from a joint Turkish-Saudi team completed an investigation into the case early Thursday after searching the residence as well as the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.UN chief ‘deeply troubled’ by Khashoggi’s death
Saudi Arabia says Khashoggi died at Istanbul consulate