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Jamal Khashoggi death: give us the facts, western countries tell Saudis Jamal Khashoggi death: give us the facts, western countries tell Saudis
(about 2 hours later)
The UK, France and Germany have pressed Saudi Arabia to provide facts for its account of what happened to the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as ministers from western governments lined up to reject the official line from Riyadh. The UK, France and Germany have pressed Saudi Arabia to provide facts for its widely derided account of the death of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as Turkey vowed to reveal the “naked truth” about what happened in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul earlier this month.
After two weeks of denials that the kingdom was involved in Khashoggi’s disappearance on 2 October, late on Friday the Saudi regime said he had died in a fistfight inside its consulate in Istanbul. In an attempt ease swelling western doubts about the credibility of the Saudi position on Sunday, the foreign minister Adel Al-Jubeir told Fox News that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman knew nothing of any plan to kill Khashoggi, and that the whereabouts of his body remained a mystery to Riyadh.
In a joint statement released on Sunday, the UK, France and Germany said: “There remains an urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened on October 2nd – beyond the hypotheses that have been raised so far in the Saudi investigation, which need to be backed by facts to be considered credible. Western governments have become increasingly dismissive of the often conflicting accounts of the journalist’s death provided so far. In a joint statement released on Sunday, the UK, France and Germany said: “There remains an urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened on October 2nd – beyond the hypotheses that have been raised so far in the Saudi investigation, which need to be backed by facts to be considered credible.”
“We thus stress that more efforts are needed and expected towards establishing the truth in a comprehensive, transparent and credible manner.” Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman tells Bloomberg he understands Khashoggi left the consulate after “a few minutes or one hour”. Turkish authorities are welcome to search the diplomatic mission because “we have nothing to hide”, he says.
The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, meanwhile said he would announce details of the Turkish investigation into Khashoggi’s death at a meeting with members of his ruling AK party in parliament on Tuesday. The Saudi consulate in Istanbul tweets that is following up on reports of Khashoggi’s disappearance “after he left the building”. Saudi ambassador Walid bin Abdul Karim El Khereiji denies any knowledge of Khashoggi’s whereabouts, Turkish media says.
Riyadh sends investigators to cooperate with Turkey. Consul general Mohammed al-Otaibi tells Reuters all talk of kidnapping is baseless.
Otaibi gives Reuters a tour of the consulate. Around midnight, Turkish officials say Khashoggi was killed there. A Saudi statement describes the Turkish allegations as baseless.
US ambassador Prince Khaled bin Salman tells Axios the kingdom had nothing to do with the case.
Prince Khalid describes allegations against the kingdom as “malicious leaks and grim rumours”. Turkey and Saudi Arabia form a joint working group.
Saudi Arabia’s interior minister describes claims in the media that there were “orders to kill [Khashoggi]” as “lies and baseless allegations”. Later, Turkish officials leak details and say he was dismembered with a bone saw.
Donald Trump tweets that he had spoken with King Salman, who “denies any knowledge of whatever may have happened”. Saudi-owned al Arabiya TV says 15 men identified by Turkish media on 10 October as part of a hit squad were misidentified “tourists”. Turkish investigators are allowed to search the consulate building.
Trump speaks with Mohammed bin Salman, then tweets that the crown prince “totally denied” any knowledge of what happened and Riyadh was launching a thorough investigation.
The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, says Saudi Arabia has made a “serious commitment” to hold anyone responsible accountable.
Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor says investigations show a fistfight led to Khashoggi’s death. Eighteen people have been arrested and two officials close to bin Salman fired.
A Saudi official tells Reuters 15 officials travelled to Istanbul to meet Khashoggi, who had expressed interest in returning home. They threatened to kidnap him; Khashoggi resisted, and was accidentally choked to death during attempts to stop him shouting. An official dressed in Khashoggi’s clothes to make it appear as if he had left the consulate. The body was given to a “local collaborator” who disposed of it. The team then lied to Riyadh to cover up the fact Khashoggi had died. 
In his strongest comments to date on the affair, the US president, Donald Trump, accused Saudi Arabia of lying about Khashoggi’s death, as pressure built on his administration to strike a tougher line.
Perhaps more ominously for the Saudis, the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, promised to provide on Tuesday full disclosure of the Turkish investigation into Khashoggi’s killing.
Up to now, Erdoğan and other top government figures have remained cautious in their public statements, stopping short of pinning the blame on Saudi Arabia and referring instead to the prosecutors’ investigation. Instead pro-government Turkish newspapers have released information detailing how a 15-member team was sent to Istanbul to confront Khashoggi at the consulate.Up to now, Erdoğan and other top government figures have remained cautious in their public statements, stopping short of pinning the blame on Saudi Arabia and referring instead to the prosecutors’ investigation. Instead pro-government Turkish newspapers have released information detailing how a 15-member team was sent to Istanbul to confront Khashoggi at the consulate.
Western governments have rejected the official Saudi explanation and said they would wait for the full report from Turkish authorities before deciding on what punishment – if any – to impose on Riyadh. It is alleged that Turkey has audio of his murder that would dispel Saudi suggestions he was killed inadvertently by throttling after after resisting a plan by 15 Saudi officers to compel him to return to Riyadh.
Ministers from France, Germany, the UK and Canada have all criticised the Saudi version of events, which have changed over time, starting with the assertion that Khashoggi had in fact left the consulate unharmed. On Sunday a senior Saudi official told Reuters that Khashoggi had been accidentally killed in a chokehold after resisting an attempt at extradition. Erdoğan told a rally in Istanbul: “We are looking for justice here and this will be revealed in all its naked truth, not through some ordinary steps but in all its naked truth.”
Turkish investigators allege an audio recording from the consulate proves the journalist was tortured and his body dismembered with a bone saw, charges Riyadh denies. After two weeks of contradictory statements, the Saudi government claimed late on Friday that Khashoggi was strangled after a fistfight broke out between him and officials on 2 October at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Five officials, including a senior intelligence officer, were said to have been fired and 18 others arrested.
In a later explanation offered on Sunday, the Saudis claimed the initial plan was to capture and persuade Khashoggi to return to Saudi Arabia, but to release him if he refused to comply.
The Saudis have given no details on the whereabouts of his body, and there are reports that the crown prince is both surprised and angry at the strength of the reaction in the west.
Jubeir insisted on Sunday that the killing was “a terrible mistake”. “This is a terrible tragedy. Our condolences go out to them. We feel their pain,” he said. “Unfortunately, a huge and grave mistake was made and I assure them that those responsible will be held accountable for this.”
Western governments are waiting for the full report from Turkish authorities before deciding on what punishment – if any – to impose on Riyadh.
Prior to the joint statement, ministers from France, Germany, the UK and Canada had all criticised the Saudi version of events, which have changed over time, starting with the assertion that Khashoggi had left the consulate unharmed.
The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said her country would not export arms to Saudi Arabia while the current uncertainty of Khashoggi persists. “There is an urgent need to clarify what happened,” she said. “We are far from this having been cleared up and those responsible held to account ... As far as arms exports are concerned, those can’t take place in the current circumstances.
The UK’s Brexit secretary, Dominic Raab, was asked in an interview on BBC TV if he believed the Saudi explanation. “No, I don’t think it is credible,” he said. “We support the Turkish investigation into it and the British government will want to see people held to account for that death.”The UK’s Brexit secretary, Dominic Raab, was asked in an interview on BBC TV if he believed the Saudi explanation. “No, I don’t think it is credible,” he said. “We support the Turkish investigation into it and the British government will want to see people held to account for that death.”
The French finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, said earlier on Sunday that full light needed to be shed. “I note that the Saudi authorities have changed tack, admitted the facts and accepted some responsibility, so we’re making progress,” he said. The French finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, said earlier on Sunday that full light needed to be shed. “I note that the Saudi authorities have changed tack, admitted the facts and accepted some responsibility, so we’re making progress,” he said.”
The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and her foreign minster, Heiko Maas, said in a joint statement issued on Saturday that information provided by Riyadh was insufficient and that more transparency was needed. Opinion against Saudi Arabia was also hardening in the US, but differences remain over the form of sanctions that should be imposed. Other options include diplomatic expulsions, and curbs on arms sales.
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, described Khashoggi’s death as a shocking violation of international conventions. The Canadian foreign minister, Chrsytia Freeland, said in a statement on Saturday that “the explanations offered to date lack consistency and credibility”. Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison, said: “We deplore the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. We expect the Saudi government to cooperate fully with Turkish authorities regarding the investigation of this matter.” A senior Republican senator on Sunday said he believed the Saudi crown prince was responsible for Khashoggi’s death, and that the US had intelligence suggesting “very high-level” involvement. Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee said Mohammed bin Salman had “crossed a line” by apparently overseeing the death of Khashoggi.
Opinion against Saudi Arabia was also hardening in the US, but differences remain on the form of sanctions that should be imposed. The treasury secretary, Steve Mnuchin, added to an increasingly stern tone from Washington on Sunday, echoing an earlier statement from Donald Trump that the Saudi explanation of the dissident’s death was a “good first step” but “obviously not enough”. Corker spoke soon after Trump acknowledged for the first time that Saudi officials had made false statements about Khashoggi’s killing. “Obviously there’s been deception, and there’s been lies,” the president told the Washington Post in an interview late on Saturday. Trump, though, stopped short of blaming Bin Salman, saying he would “would love if he wasn’t responsible”.
Mnuchin has bowed out of a major international investment conference in Riyadh next week, as have several leading US business figures and international officials. He said, however, that he would still travel to Riyadh this week in an effort to reinforce ties. The treasury secretary, Steve Mnuchin, meanwhile said the Saudi explanation of the dissident’s death was a “good first step” but “obviously not enough”. Mnuchin is scheduled to visit Riyadh on Tuesday for talks with Saudi officials on Iran and on countering the financing of terrorism. Mnuchin has, however, withdrawn from the so-called “Davos in the desert” conference that is being shunned by many US executives and media companies following Khashoggi’s death.
“We have an important relationship with Saudi, focused on combating terrorist financing and focused on our common interests of stopping Iran’s spread of both terrorism and other issues,” he said. “I am going to go there and meet with my counterparts and continue to focus on what’s in the treasury’s domain, as it relates to this issue.” The controversy has put the kingdom, for decades a key ally in western efforts to contain Iran, under unprecedented pressure. It has also evolved into a major crisis for Bin Salman, a Trump administration favourite widely known as MBS, whose image as a modernising Arab reformer has been gravely undermined.
Trump initially said he found Saudi Arabia’s explanation of Khashoggi’s death credible and described it as an “important first step”. Asked on Saturday if he was satisfied that Saudi officials had been fired over the death, however, he said: “No, I am not satisfied until we find the answer. But it was a big first step, it was a good first step. But I want to get to the answer.”
The controversy has put the kingdom, for decades a key ally in western efforts to contain Iran, under unprecedented pressure. It has also evolved into a major crisis for Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, a Trump administration favourite widely known as MBS, whose image as a modernising Arab reformer has been gravely undermined.
Jamal KhashoggiJamal Khashoggi
Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
GermanyGermany
Middle East and North AfricaMiddle East and North Africa
EuropeEurope
Angela MerkelAngela Merkel
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