King, Crown Prince speak to Khashoggi’s son
KUWAIT SAYS IT BACKS SAUDI DECISIONS ON CASE; TRUMP SPEAKS TO ERDOGAN
King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz has offered his condolences and sympathies to the family and relatives of the late Jamal Khashoggi.
The Saudi monarch expressed his sympathies in a telephone call to Salah Jamal Khashoggi, the son of the slain journalist, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman also called the bereaved son to offer his condolences to all family members, the news agency said.
Salah Khashoggi expressed his thanks to King Salman and to Prince Mohammad for the condolences, it added.
White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son in law, said yesterday the United States was still in a “factfinding” phase on the murder of Khashoggi.
“We’re getting facts in from multiple places.”
In Kuwait, the government on Sunday hailed the decisions taken by King Salman in Khashoggi’s case.
“Kuwait has followed with concern the death of Khashoggi, may Allah bless his soul,” an official source at the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The source added that Kuwait “greets the decisions taken by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques with respect to the case, which reflects the kingdom’s keenness and commitment to establish the truth and its respect for legal principles to bring to account those behind this regretable incident”.
Welcome decision
Several countries and international organisations have welcomed the Saudi decision to uncover the facts and bring all those found guilty to justice.
Saudi Arabia early on Saturday announced the death of Khashoggi, who was last seen in public on October 2 as he was entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Riyadh also announced that 18 people are being detained in relation with the criminal case.
The deputy head of the General Intelligence Presidency, a senior adviser at the Royal Court and three senior officers were sacked.
King Salman also ordered the formation of an ad-hoc commission, headed by Crown Prince Mohammad, to restructure and reform the General Intelligence Agency.
Media onslaught
Saudi columnists and social media users are trying to comprehend the reasons for the media onslaught on their country, arguing the case was purely criminal and should not have taken geopolitical dimensions.
A Turkish official said that the investigation was “a careful” process and would ensure “nobody is falsely accused”. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that details of Khashoggi’s killing will be revealed in a speech that he will give in parliament tomorrow.
Erdogan and Trump spoke on the telephone to discuss Khashoggi, Anadolu agency said yesterday morning. “Erdogan and Trump agreed the Khashoggi case needs to be cleared up with all aspects,” Anadolu said.
On Sunday, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir told Fox News the 18 people implicated in the slaying would be punished appropriately, and that he didn’t know where the body was. “The individuals did this out of the scope of their authority,” he said.