Khashoggi killing: CIA accuses the crown prince | tagesschau.de

If it were not for the Saudi crown prince, the killing of Khashoggi would not have been possible – CIA makes dangerous allegations against Mohammed bin Salman. Washington imposed sanctions on dozens of Saudis.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman likely approved the arrest or killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October 2018, according to US intelligence services. This came from a report published by the Office of the US Intelligence Coordinator, Avril Haines.

The report stated that since 2017, the crown prince had “absolute control over the kingdom’s security and intelligence services.” He added, “This makes it unlikely that Saudi officials would have carried out such an operation without the approval of the crown prince.” A close advisor and bodyguard to the crown prince also participated in the operation against Khashoggi.

The US Department of State has imposed entry restrictions on 76 Saudi citizens. Foreign Minister Anthony Blinken announced that he believed they were “involved in the threat of dissidents abroad” like Khashoggi.

Saudi Arabia rejected the US report, describing it as a “mistake” and “unacceptable.” It contained “incorrect information and conclusions.” She said the “terrible crime” is a flagrant violation of Saudi law. Those who did so were found guilty. It is unfortunate that the US report was published.

Seen as a threat

The report said that the crown prince saw Khashoggi as a threat to the kingdom and “and if necessary, support violent means to silence him.” However, it is not clear to what extent Saudi government representatives had previously planned the violence against journalists critical of the government.

In 2019, 35-year-old Mohamed took charge of ensuring that the killing took place under his supervision. But he denied that he ordered them. According to the Saudi narrative, the intelligence and security officers who acted without state authority are responsible.

Khashoggi was killed on October 2, 2018, in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, by special order from Riyadh. There is no trace of his body. The journalist lived in Virginia and wrote columns for The Washington Post, often containing criticism of the Saudi monarchy.

The Khashoggi murder trial is still underway in Turkey. A Saudi court sentenced five defendants to 20 years in prison in the fall, which led to the abolition of the death penalty imposed on the five men at the end of last year. The Khashoggi family had previously stated that they would forgive the perpetrators.

Biden had already accused the crown prince of responsibility

US President Joe Biden had already accused the crown prince in the election campaign of ordering the killing of Khashoggi. Riyadh will “pay the price” and become an “outsider”. On Thursday, Biden phoned Saudi King Salman for the first time. The White House then said that Biden had reaffirmed the importance the United States attaches to human rights and the rule of law. The notice did not mention Khashoggi’s killing.

Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, has achieved billions in arms deals with Riyadh. The Republic was an important ally of the crown prince. Washington imposed sanctions on more than a dozen former Saudi government employees in connection with the killing of the journalist. Trump has stuck to his support for the royal family in Riyadh.