Saudis seek death penalty against 5 in writer’s death
U.S. targeting 17 in new sanctions against kingdom
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia will seek the death penalty against five men suspected of killing journalist Jamal Khashoggi, its top prosecutor said Thursday, while the U.S. slapped sanctions on 17 Saudi officials in the toughest action it has taken against the kingdom since the slaying.
The Saudi moves failed to appease Turkey, which has put increasing pressure on its regional rival since Khashoggi was killed in Istanbul last month, but they could be enough for some of Saudi Arabia’s Western allies to move on and press for key demands, such as an end to the war in Yemen.
The prosecutor’s announcement sought to quiet the global outcry over Khashoggi’s death and distance the killers and their operation from the kingdom’s leadership, primarily Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Officials and analysts say an operation of this kind could not have happened without the prince’s knowledge.
Pressed by Western journalists in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat said the crown prince had “absolutely” nothing to do with the slaying of The Washington Post columnist, who was critical of the heir to the throne.
The Saudi investigation pointed the finger at some members of the crown prince’s inner circle but stopped short of accusing them of ordering the writer’s death. Those closest to the prince are instead accused of ordering Khashoggi’s forced return in an operation at the Saudi Con- Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir tells the media Thursday that the crown prince had nothing to do with the killing. sulate in Istanbul that the Saudis allege went awry.
In Washington, the U.S. Treasury Department announced economic sanctions on 17 Saudi officials whom it said were responsible for or complicit in the killing. Among those targeted for sanctions were Saud al-Qahtani, one of the crown prince’s closest aides, and Mohammed al-Otaibi, the diplomat in charge of the consulate.
The sanctions freeze any assets the 17 may have in the U. S. and prohibit any Americans from doing business with them.
In a news conference, Sheikh Shalan al-Shalan, the deputy attorney general, said the killing was ordered by an individual whom he did not identify but said was responsible for negotiating Khashoggi’s return to Saudi Arabia from Turkey. The individual was part of a 15-man team that was made up of negotiators, intelligence officers and logistics officials.
That team was formed by al-Qahtani and former deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Assiri, the prosecutor said. Both men were close to the crown prince and fired from their posts after the killing.
They deemed Khashoggi’s presence abroad as “a threat to national security,” the prosecutor said.
Khashoggi had gone for a scheduled visit to the consulate Oct. 2 to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage while his Turkish fiancee waited outside.
The Saudi investigators stopped short of accusing al-Assiri or al-Qahtani of ordering Khashoggi’s killing, bolstering previous Saudi assertions it was carried out by rogue agents who overstepped their authority.
The prosecutor said the agents sent in Istanbul drugged and killed the writer in the consulate before dismembering the body and giving it to an unidentified local collaborator for disposal. The body has not been found.
Chief prosecutor Saud Al-Mojeb said that of the 21 people in custody, 11 have been indicted and referred to trial.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, appearing at a news conference after the prosecutor spoke, told reporters the crown prince had nothing to do with the killing. Al-Jubeir said the kingdom is investigating and holding those responsible to account “to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
“Sometimes mistakes happen; sometimes people exceed their authority,” he said.