CIA blames Saudi crown prince
US will take the murderers to task, vows Pence
WASHINGTON: The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has reportedly discovered that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman had ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a development that contradicts Riyadh’s denial of his role in the gruesome murder.
As reported by The Washington Post, the CIA arrived at the conclusion based on communication intercepts, audio recordings and an analysis of the crown prince’s position in the Saudi power structure.
The finding is problematic for the White House since Washington is closely aligned with Bin Salman and sees him as critical to the administration’s West Asia peace initiative.
US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner is also considered very close to the Saudi crown prince.
“We’re taking a look at it,” Trump told reporters on Saturday when asked about the CIA’S finding. “You know, we also have a great ally in Saudi Arabia. They give us a lot of jobs, and a lot of business and economic development. They have been a truly spectacular ally.”
Trump added he will have a discussion with the CIA and secretary of state Mike Pompeo.
On Saturday, US vice-president Mike Pence, who was in Papua New Guinea, told reporters that he was aware of the development and the “US will take the murderers to task”.
Bin Salman’s role in Khashoggi’s killing is unlikely to lead to his removal from the top or any mitigation in his authority, according to Trump administration officials cited in news reports.
Khashoggi was a vocal critic of the crown prince’s policies and was living in self-exile in the US state of Virginia since 2017. He wrote columns for The Washington Post.
He was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, after which the Turkish government made a series of announcements detailing his gruesome murder.
The Saudis have claimed that Khashoggi was killed by a team of 15 men despatched by the government to persuade him to return to Riyadh.
Last Thursday, the Saudis said 11 men have been charged with involvement in the murder and five of him will face death penalty if convicted.
“The crown prince has nothing to do with this issue. This was a rogue operation,” Saudi foreign minister Adel al-jubeir told reporters in Riyadh.
In an intercept from the Saudi consulate, a member of the 15-member team was heard telling a close advisor to the prince that the job was done - “tell your boss” - according to reports.
The advisor, Saud al-qahtani, is among 17 people who were sanctioned by the US on Thursday for their alleged involvement in the killing. Maher Mutreb, a senior aide to the prince, is suspected of having led the team and is among the others sanctioned by the US.
The CIA also reportedly looked at an intercept of a conversation between Khashoggi and the Saudi ambassador to the US, Khalid bin Salman, the crown prince’s brother.
During that call, the Saudi ambassador reportedly urged Khashoggi to go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to collect marriage clearance documents and had assured him it was safe to make the visit.
The ambassador has disputed this account and wrote on Twitter on Friday, saying, “The last contact I had with Khashoggi was via text on October 26, 2017. I never talked to him by phone and never suggested he should go to Turkey for any reason.”