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Khashoggi murder: CIA chief Haspel 'to brief Congress' | Khashoggi murder: CIA chief Haspel 'to brief Congress' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The head of the CIA will now brief Congress on Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder, US media say. | The head of the CIA will now brief Congress on Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder, US media say. |
They say Gina Haspel is to talk to Senate leaders on Tuesday. | They say Gina Haspel is to talk to Senate leaders on Tuesday. |
She was absent from last week's briefing by the secretaries of state and defence, angering some in Congress. | She was absent from last week's briefing by the secretaries of state and defence, angering some in Congress. |
Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. US media have reported that the CIA has concluded Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman "probably ordered" the killing. | Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. US media have reported that the CIA has concluded Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman "probably ordered" the killing. |
The Saudis have charged 11 people but deny that the crown prince was involved. | The Saudis have charged 11 people but deny that the crown prince was involved. |
US media reports say the CIA has evidence he exchanged messages with Saud al-Qahtani, who allegedly oversaw the murder. | US media reports say the CIA has evidence he exchanged messages with Saud al-Qahtani, who allegedly oversaw the murder. |
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary James Mattis had told senators last week there was no direct evidence of the crown prince's involvement. | Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary James Mattis had told senators last week there was no direct evidence of the crown prince's involvement. |
President Donald Trump has said the CIA findings on the crown prince were not conclusive. On 20 November he said: "It could very well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic event - maybe he did and maybe he didn't." | President Donald Trump has said the CIA findings on the crown prince were not conclusive. On 20 November he said: "It could very well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic event - maybe he did and maybe he didn't." |
Gina Haspel is also reportedly angry about the leak of the CIA findings to the media. | Gina Haspel is also reportedly angry about the leak of the CIA findings to the media. |
The CIA has not commented on the reports of Tuesday's briefing. | The CIA has not commented on the reports of Tuesday's briefing. |
How did senators react to last week's no-show? | |
Many senators are unhappy with Mr Trump's response to the Khashoggi murder, and their anger was exacerbated by Ms Haspel's failure to attend the briefing. | |
As a result, they voted by 63 votes to 37 last week to advance a measure to withdraw American support for a Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen. | |
A similar resolution came up for a Senate vote earlier in the year and failed to pass. | |
"It's time to send Saudi Arabia a message, both on its violation of human rights and the incredible humanitarian catastrophe it's creating in Yemen," Democratic Senator Bob Menendez said. | |
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said he would withhold his vote on any major legislation until Ms Haspel was allowed to brief the full Senate. | |
"The way the administration had handled the Saudi Arabia event is just not acceptable," he said. | |
"The briefing did not help me at all better understand the role that [Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman] played in the killing of Mr Khashoggi." | |
Who was Jamal Khashoggi? | Who was Jamal Khashoggi? |
As a prominent journalist, he covered major stories including the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the rise of Osama Bin Laden for various Saudi news organisations. | As a prominent journalist, he covered major stories including the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the rise of Osama Bin Laden for various Saudi news organisations. |
For decades he was close to the Saudi royal family and also served as an adviser to the government. | For decades he was close to the Saudi royal family and also served as an adviser to the government. |
But he fell out of favour and went into self-imposed exile in the US last year. From there, he wrote a monthly column in the Washington Post in which he criticised the policies of Mohammed bin Salman. | But he fell out of favour and went into self-imposed exile in the US last year. From there, he wrote a monthly column in the Washington Post in which he criticised the policies of Mohammed bin Salman. |