Saudis: Jamal Khashoggi died during interrogation
The Saudis are preparing a report that will acknowledge that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s death was the result of an interrogation that went wrong, one that was intended to lead to his abduction from Turkey, according to two sources.
The report is intended to absolve the Saudi government of responsibility for the murder by claiming the operation was not cleared.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman on Monday ordered an internal probe into Khashoggi’s disappearance as a joint Turkish-Saudi team was set to search the Saudi consulate in Istanbul where he was last seen on Oct. 2.
President Trump told reporters as he departed the White House en route to Florida Monday that he spoke by phone with Saudi Arabia’s King and that “The King firmly denied any knowledge” of the disappearance.
Trump added: “Maybe these could have been rogue killers. Who knows?” Trump tweeted earlier that he’ll be “immediately sending” secretary of state Mike Pompeo to meet with King Salman.
Turkish officials also revealed that they have audio and video proving Khashoggi was murdered at the consulate.
Jamal Khashoggi photo/ YouTube screenshot
Trump told CBS’ “60 Minutes” on Sunday that the consequences of Saudi involvement in foul play involving the journalist would be “severe.”
“There’s something really terrible and disgusting about that, if that was the case, so we’re going to have to see,” Trump said. “We’re going to get to the bottom of it and there will be severe punishment.”
He added: “As of this moment, they deny it and they deny it vehemently. Could it be them? Yes.”
On Friday, when asked about Khashoggi’s disappearance on “Fox & Friends,” Trump said, “I don’t like it at all.”
“Now, you don’t have American citizens, but that, in this case, doesn’t matter. I don’t like it. I don’t like it with respect to reporters. It is a terrible, terrible precedent. We can’t let it happen,” Trump said.
