Saudi Arabia ‘Set to Admit Journalist Died in Botched Interrogation’
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Saudi Arabia is preparing to acknowledge the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi happened as the result of a botched interrogation, according to CNN and The New York Times, after US President Donald Trump speculated “rogue killers” may be responsible.
Mr Khashoggi, a US resident,
Washington Post columnist and leading critic of the powerful Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, vanished after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul two weeks ago to get marriage documents.
Turkish officials say they believe he was murdered there and his body removed, in a case that has provoked an international outcry. Citing two unidentified sources,
CNN reported that Saudi Arabia was preparing a report that would acknowledge Mr Khashoggi was killed as the result of an interrogation that went wrong.
The Saudi Government could not be reached immediately for comment on the CNN report, but Mr Trump said he was unsure whether it was official.
“I heard that report, but nobody knows if it’s an official report,” Mr Trump said, without elaborating, while visiting Florida to inspect the damage from Hurricane Michael.
The New York Times, citing a person familiar with the Saudi plans, reported the crown prince had approved an interrogation or rendition of Mr Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Government, it said, would shield the prince by blaming an intelligence official for the bungled operation. Turkish authorities have an audio recording indicating that Khashoggi was killed in the consulate, a Turkish official and a security source said, and have shared evidence with countries including Saudi Arabia and the United States. They provided no further details. Saudi Arabia has strongly denied killing Khashoggi and has denounced such assertions as “lies”, saying he left the building shortly after entering.
Earlier, Mr Trump proposed that Khashoggi may have been killed by “rogue killers” as he sent Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to meet with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman.