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Jamal Khashoggi: Saudi Arabia under pressure from Trump administration Jamal Khashoggi: Saudi Arabia under pressure from Trump administration
(about 1 hour later)
Saudi Arabia is facing unprecedented diplomatic pressure from the Trump administration and other allies to provide a credible account of how Jamal Khashoggi vanished at its consulate in Istanbul, with reports in the US implicating the powerful crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, in plans to abduct the dissident journalist.Saudi Arabia is facing unprecedented diplomatic pressure from the Trump administration and other allies to provide a credible account of how Jamal Khashoggi vanished at its consulate in Istanbul, with reports in the US implicating the powerful crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, in plans to abduct the dissident journalist.
The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, Donald Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, have pointedly asked the kingdom’s de facto ruler to explain what happened inside its diplomatic mission nine days ago, as evidence continues to mount that Khashoggi was killed and dismembered.The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, Donald Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, and the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, have pointedly asked the kingdom’s de facto ruler to explain what happened inside its diplomatic mission nine days ago, as evidence continues to mount that Khashoggi was killed and dismembered.
Trump has suggested that US investigators have been dispatched to look into the disappearance. Trump suggested that US investigators had been dispatched to look into the disappearance. “We’re being very tough. And we have investigators over there and we’re working with Turkey, and frankly we’re working with Saudi Arabia. We want to find out what happened,” Trump told Fox News on Thursday morning. The US state department had referred earlier questions about the case to the FBI.
“We’re being very tough. And we have investigators over there and we’re working with Turkey, and frankly we’re working with Saudi Arabia. We want to find out what happened,” Trump told Fox News on Thursday morning. The US state department had referred earlier questions about the case to the FBI. The Republican chair of the Senate foreign relations committee, Bob Corker, one of a handful of senators briefed on US intelligence on the case, said he believed Khashoggi was murdered and that the “intel points directly” at the Saudi government. “I think they did it and unfortunately I think he is deceased. But they certainly could produce him and change the narrative,” Corker told CNN.
A relentless drip feed of information from Turkish officials and intercepted communications appear to have captured the planning phase of an alleged crime that has shattered diplomatic norms and rocked both Ankara and Riyadh. A report in the Washington Post, citing US intelligence sources, said Bin Salman had earlier authorised an operation to lure Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia and detain him. Corker and 21 other senators sent a formal letter to the president triggering a mandatory US investigation into Khashoggi’s fate. Under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, the administration would have to report on the conclusions of the investigation and a decision on sanctions against the perpetrators.
The bipartisan support for strong action is putting pressure on the Trump administration, which is seeking to protect its close relationship with the Saudi monarchy.
A relentless drip-feed of information from Turkish officials and intercepted communications appear to have captured the planning phase of an alleged crime that has shattered diplomatic norms and rocked Ankara and Riyadh. A report in the Washington Post, citing US intelligence sources, said Bin Salman had earlier authorised an operation to lure Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia and detain him.
The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has challenged Saudi Arabia to provide CCTV images to back up its claims Khashoggi had left the consulate safely, indicating he did not find the current Saudi explanations sufficient.The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has challenged Saudi Arabia to provide CCTV images to back up its claims Khashoggi had left the consulate safely, indicating he did not find the current Saudi explanations sufficient.
Britain’s foreign secretary said Saudi Arabia faced “serious consequences” if the suspicions of Turkish officials that Khashoggi was murdered turned out to be true.Britain’s foreign secretary said Saudi Arabia faced “serious consequences” if the suspicions of Turkish officials that Khashoggi was murdered turned out to be true.
“People who have long thought of themselves as Saudi’s friends are saying this is a very, very serious matter,” Jeremy Hunt told Agence France-Presse. “People who have long thought of themselves as Saudi’s friends are saying this is a very, very serious matter,” Jeremy Hunt told Agence France-Presse. “If these allegations are true, there will be serious consequences because our friendships and our partnerships are based on shared values. We are extremely worried.”
“If these allegations are true, there will be serious consequences because our friendships and our partnerships are based on shared values. We are extremely worried.”
The fallout from Khashoggi’s disappearance shows little sign of abating. Instead there are signs that the events of 2 October could have an impact on global perceptions of the new Saudi leadership and redefine a relationship between Washington and Riyadh, whose historical ties had been strengthened since Trump was sworn in as president.The fallout from Khashoggi’s disappearance shows little sign of abating. Instead there are signs that the events of 2 October could have an impact on global perceptions of the new Saudi leadership and redefine a relationship between Washington and Riyadh, whose historical ties had been strengthened since Trump was sworn in as president.
Turkey remains adamant that Khashoggi was killed soon after he entered the consulate last Tuesday by a hit squad of 15 assassins who had flown in from Riyadh earlier that day. Accounts of his apparent death have been widely circulated by officials, who have released the names of the Saudi citizens who arrived on two private jets; all were connected to state security agencies. Turkey remains adamant that Khashoggi was killed soon after he entered the consulate last Tuesday by a hit squad of 15 assassins who had flown in from Riyadh that day. Accounts of his apparent death have been widely circulated by officials, who have released the names of the Saudi citizens who arrived on two private jets; all were connected to state security agencies.
Turkish officials told the website Middle East Eye that Khashoggi was ushered to the consul general’s office when he entered the consulate, then quickly seized by two men. “We know when Jamal was killed, in which room he was killed and where the body was taken to be dismembered,” the official said. “If the forensic team are allowed in, they know exactly where to go.” Turkish officials told the Middle East Eye website that Khashoggi was ushered to the consul general’s office when he entered the consulate, then quickly seized by two men. “We know when Jamal was killed, in which room he was killed and where the body was taken to be dismembered,” the official said. “If the forensic team are allowed in, they know exactly where to go.”
Riyadh had earlier pledged to allow Turkish officials into the consulate, which is considered sovereign Saudi territory under international convention. However, access was rescinded after the names of the alleged assassins were revealed. Among the group, according to a passenger manifest supplied by Turkish authorities, was the head of forensics for the Saudi General Intelligence Presidency. Riyadh had previously pledged to allow Turkish officials into the consulate, which is considered sovereign Saudi territory under international convention. However, access was rescinded after the names of the alleged assassins were revealed. Among the group, according to a passenger manifest supplied by Turkish authorities, was the head of forensics for the Saudi General Intelligence Presidency.
While investigators believe that Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate, suspicion about where his body may have been disposed of continues to focus on the Saudi consul general’s home, about 500 metres away. The building has an underground garage, and cars that were seen leaving the nearby building are believed to have spent several hours in the garage, before leaving for Istanbul’s Atatürk airport. While investigators believe Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate, suspicion about where his body may have been disposed of continues to focus on the Saudi consul general’s home, about 500 metres away. The building has an underground garage, and cars that were seen leaving the nearby building are believed to have spent several hours in the garage before leaving for Atatürk airport in Istanbul.
Officials also told Reuters that they were examining data from an Apple watch that Khashoggi was wearing when he entered the building. Central to the investigation is whether data from the watch could have been transmitted to a cloud, or his personal phone, which was with his fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, who was waiting outside. Officials also told Reuters they were examining data from an Apple Watch that Khashoggi was wearing when he entered the building. Central to the investigation is whether data from the smartwatch could have been transmitted to a cloud, or his personal phone, which was with his fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, who was waiting outside.
A preliminary assessment is that Khashoggi’s watch has shed little light on what happened. Officials insist they have other sources of information that corroborate their beliefs. Whether they are eventually disclosed has increasingly become a political issue, with Turkey continuing to weigh the potential impact of disclosing all its evidence against diplomatic and trade concerns.A preliminary assessment is that Khashoggi’s watch has shed little light on what happened. Officials insist they have other sources of information that corroborate their beliefs. Whether they are eventually disclosed has increasingly become a political issue, with Turkey continuing to weigh the potential impact of disclosing all its evidence against diplomatic and trade concerns.
Saudi officials had refused to engage with their Turkish counterparts until Tuesday, a source told the Guardian. Riyadh had used Washington as a conduit. Saudi officials had refused to engage with their Turkish counterparts until Tuesday, a source told the Guardian. Riyadh had used Washington as a conduit. “They have been behaving very strangely,” said an official. “It’s like they don’t care about the consequences. Is this incompetence, or arrogance? We really don’t know.”
“They have been behaving very strangely,” said an official. “It’s like they don’t care about the consequences. Is this incompetence, or arrogance? We really don’t know.” On Wednesday, Trump said he wanted to find out what happened to Khashoggi but appeared reluctant to consider blocking arms sales, citing economic reasons. “I think that would be hurting us,” Trump told reporters.
Meanwhile, 22 US senators signed a letter to Donald Trump on Wednesday triggering an investigation to determine whether human rights sanctions should be imposed over Khashoggi’s disappearance.
In the letter, the senators said they had triggered a provision of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act requiring the president to determine whether a foreign person was responsible for a gross human rights violation.
In an interview on Wednesday Trump said he wanted to find out what happened to Khashoggi but appeared reluctant to consider blocking arms sales, citing economic reasons.
“I think that would be hurting us,” Trump said. “We have jobs, we have a lot of things happening in this country. We have a country that’s doing probably better economically than it’s ever done before.
“Part of that is what we’re doing with our defence systems and everybody’s wanting them.”
On his first international trip as president, Trump visited Saudi Arabia and announced $110bn in proposed arms sales.On his first international trip as president, Trump visited Saudi Arabia and announced $110bn in proposed arms sales.
Trump said that the US was demanding answers from the Saudi government and working closely with Turkey to find out what happened to the missing dissident. “I think we’ll get to the bottom of it,” he told reporters. The Treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, is due to represent the administration at a trade and investment conference in Saudi Arabia next week, known as Davos in the Desert. His attendance would be a powerful gesture of support for Riyadh in the face of allegations of the premeditated murder of a US resident and journalist.
The US president also said that he had invited Khashoggi’s fiancee to the White House. Trump also said on Wednesday that the US was demanding answers from the Saudi government and working closely with Turkey to find out what happened to the missing dissident. “I think we’ll get to the bottom of it,” he said.
The US currently has no ambassadors in either Turkey or Saudi Arabia. The US has no ambassadors in Turkey or Saudi Arabia.
Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
Journalist safetyJournalist safety
Press freedomPress freedom
Trump administrationTrump administration
TurkeyTurkey
Middle East and North AfricaMiddle East and North Africa
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