Khashoggi fiancee hits at Trump response, warns of 'money' influence

By Guy Faulconbridge

 

Hatice Cengiz, fiancee of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, is seen during an interview with Reuters in London, Britain, October 29, 2018. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

 

LONDON (Reuters) - The fiancée of Jamal Khashoggi on Monday criticised President Donald Trump's response to his killing, urging him to set aside U.S. trade interests in the push for truth, and demanded Riyadh disclose more details to bring those who ordered it to justice.

 

The death of Khashoggi - a Washington Post columnist and a critic of Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman - sparked global outrage and pitched the world's top oil exporter into crisis.

 

Trump has hedged his criticism of Saudi leaders over Khashoggi, insisting he does not want to imperil a "tremendous order" of $110 billion of weapons he says will support 500,000 U.S. jobs - figures that experts say are highly exaggerated.

 

His fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, told an audience on a visit to London she was disappointed with Trump's approach.

 

"I am disappointed by the actions of the leadership in many countries, particularly in the U.S.," she said.

 

"President Trump should help reveal the truth and ensure justice be served. He should not pave the way for a cover-up of my fiance's murder. Let's not let money taint our conscience and compromise our values."

 

When asked who was ultimately responsible for the killing, Cengiz told Reuters in an interview in Turkish: "This took place inside a Saudi diplomatic mission ... In such circumstances, the Saudi Arabian authorities are responsible for this."

 

Trump has said Prince Mohammed, who has consolidated control over Saudi security and intelligence agencies over the past three years, bore ultimate responsibility for the operation that led to Khashoggi's killing.

 

She said the West is considered a stronghold of human rights and democracy so it should stand up to the killers of her husband-to-be.

 

Khashoggi, 59, entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 to obtain paperwork necessary for his upcoming marriage to Cengiz, a Turkish national. He did not walk out of the consulate. Cengiz first raised the alarm.

 

Saudi Arabia initially denied any involvement in Khashoggi's disappearance but a Saudi official eventually attributed his death to a botched attempt to return him to the kingdom.

 

Later, Riyadh said the killing was premeditated and Prince Mohammed has vowed that the killers would be brought to justice.

 

Saudi Arabia has detained 18 people and dismissed five senior government officials as part of the investigation into Khashoggi's murder. Some were members of a 15-man hit team, many of them Saudi intelligence operatives, who flew into Istanbul hours before Khashoggi's death, Turkish security sources say.

 

MURDER IN ISTANBUL

"This incident, this assassination, took place in the Saudi consulate," Cengiz said, speaking through a translator. "So the Saudi authorities probably know how such a murder took place."

 

"They need to explain what happened," said Cengiz, who was sombre, guarded and appeared at times on the verge of tears.

 

When asked what she would say to Prince Mohammed if she ever got the chance to speak to him, she said: "I don't think that will ever happen."

 

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who Cengiz praised, has urged Riyadh to disclose who ordered the murder and prosecutors have prepared an extradition request for 18 suspects from Saudi Arabia.

 

"The explanations given so far by Saudi Arabia are not sufficient," Cengiz said. "I want to know the details of who is responsible."

 

Asked if she held Crown Prince Mohammed or the Saudi royal family responsible, she said:

"I and my government would like all those responsible, from the person who gave this order to those who carried it out, to be brought to justice and punished under international law," she said.

 

Cengiz said she had not been contacted by Prince Mohammed or the Saudi royal family, nor offered any condolences by them.

 

Cengiz met Khashoggi in May at a conference in Istanbul and their relationship blossomed. But the decision to marry in Istanbul, whose mosques reminded Khashoggi of his hometown Medina, set off a paper chase that ultimately ended in death.

 

Turkish law required that Khashoggi, who was divorced, provide proof that he did not have a wife and thus his trip to the consulate. Cengiz said she had been shown no recordings of what happened inside the consulate and that she got most of her information from the media.

 

"Like everyone else, I am still waiting for answers," she said. "The world should know who instigated, were involved in and committed this crime."

 

(Writing by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Kevin Liffey, William Maclean)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-10-30

"...The fiancée of Jamal Khashoggi on Monday criticised President Donald Trump's response to his killing, urging him to set aside U.S. trade interests in the push for truth, and demanded Riyadh disclose more details to bring those who ordered it to justice..."

 

Good on this lady; she seems both intelligent and to have a sense of honesty and integrity.

 

Trump, on the other hand, seems to have the basic ethics and values of an infected sewer rat and is single-handedly destroying one of the most precious things on the globe; the moral voice of the United States of America.

 

I have said it before and (sadly) need to say it again;

 

Donald Trump is an ever-expanding cloud of toxic waste that defiles everything it touches.

 

God help us all.

 

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"President Trump should help reveal the truth and ensure justice be served. He should not pave the way for a cover-up of my fiance's murder. Let's not let money taint our conscience and compromise our values."

Excellent statement by the lady, showing clearly what Trump is and does.

2 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...The fiancée of Jamal Khashoggi on Monday criticised President Donald Trump's response to his killing, urging him to set aside U.S. trade interests in the push for truth, and demanded Riyadh disclose more details to bring those who ordered it to justice..."

 

Good on this lady; she seems both intelligent and to have a sense of honesty and integrity.

 

Trump, on the other hand, seems to have the basic ethics and values of an infected sewer rat and is single-handedly destroying one of the most precious things on the globe; the moral voice of the United States of America.

 

I have said it before and (sadly) need to say it again;

 

Donald Trump is an ever-expanding cloud of toxic waste that defiles everything it touches.

 

God help us all.

 

 

 

 

"....she seems both intelligent and to have a sense of honesty and integrity."

 

More like she's not a fan of Trump and the Sauds. I seriously doubt you've got any insight as to her character beyond that. Here are two bits taken from the OP, which might cast some doubts over the hype:

 

Quote

She said the West is considered a stronghold of human rights and democracy so it should stand up to the killers of her husband-to-be

 

Quote

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who Cengiz praised.....

 

Going on about human rights and democracy, while praising Erdogan is rather lame.

 

 

Madam you are a courageous and perceptive woman I applaud your dignity and class kudos madam kudos

3 hours ago, webfact said:

She said the West is considered a stronghold of human rights and democracy

..... unless a lot of money is involved........ then the West just looks the other way........... and all bets are off..........

3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...The fiancée of Jamal Khashoggi on Monday criticised President Donald Trump's response to his killing, urging him to set aside U.S. trade interests in the push for truth, and demanded Riyadh disclose more details to bring those who ordered it to justice..."

 

Good on this lady; she seems both intelligent and to have a sense of honesty and integrity.

 

Trump, on the other hand, seems to have the basic ethics and values of an infected sewer rat and is single-handedly destroying one of the most precious things on the globe; the moral voice of the United States of America.

 

I have said it before and (sadly) need to say it again;

 

Donald Trump is an ever-expanding cloud of toxic waste that defiles everything it touches.

 

God help us all.

 

 

I must protest on behalf of infected sewer rats and clouds of toxic waste at the comparison offered with Donald Trump. It just isn't fair to rats and toxic waste.

America should not get involved, not a USA problem. Lots of countries America trades with that are nasty, not just SA. Let some other country take the lead on this one, stay out of it for once.

1 hour ago, IAMHERE said:

America should not get involved, not a USA problem. Lots of countries America trades with that are nasty, not just SA. Let some other country take the lead on this one, stay out of it for once.

But waging economic warfare against Iran is?

3 hours ago, Morch said:

She said the West is considered a stronghold of human rights and democracy

But only when it's convenient for the East.

Trump invited this lady to the White House for a photo op. She declined to be used as a prop for Trump's hypocrisy.

I sincerely hope she keeps this up and galvanises opinion in the west to ostracise Saudi Arabia for its truly appalling human rights record. It is high time that the leaders of the US, UK and France started talking telling the truth instead of the seemingly endless deceptions used to cover their hidden agendas.

3 hours ago, Morch said:

praising Erdogan is rather lame

She's a Turkish citizen and it will require Turkey to press the Saudis for accountability.

She's smart not to repudiate Erdogan from that process.

Turning to any other country would be rather lame, especially to the US under Trump.

That doesn't excuse in the bigger picture Erdogan's human right abuses. But frankly that's not her agenda right now.

 

10 hours ago, webfact said:

She said the West is considered a stronghold of human rights and democracy so it should stand up to the killers of her husband-to-be.

Trump can't even fire someone face to face ???? and human rights and democracy has no place in his little mind~only Trump matters to Trump

 

4 hours ago, Srikcir said:

She's a Turkish citizen and it will require Turkey to press the Saudis for accountability.

She's smart not to repudiate Erdogan from that process.

Turning to any other country would be rather lame, especially to the US under Trump.

That doesn't excuse in the bigger picture Erdogan's human right abuses. But frankly that's not her agenda right now.

 

 

Yeah well, it's also kinda lame quoting bits of posts out of context.

 

There wasn't anything said about her not being smart. The comment was with regard to assertions as to her character ("honesty and integrity").

 

There was also nothing said about turning to another country. But if anything, her words were rather into such - calling on other countries, citing the West being a stronghold of human rights.

 

The point made was exactly with regard to her agenda - which is rather narrow. Casting it as something more than that is, well, lame.

9 hours ago, Morch said:

 

 

"....she seems both intelligent and to have a sense of honesty and integrity."

 

More like she's not a fan of Trump and the Sauds. I seriously doubt you've got any insight as to her character beyond that. Here are two bits taken from the OP, which might cast some doubts over the hype:

 

 

 

Going on about human rights and democracy, while praising Erdogan is rather lame.

 

 

Not necessarily. It depends on what she praised him for. Was it for his pollcies in general or for pursuing an inquiry here?

31 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Not necessarily. It depends on what she praised him for. Was it for his pollcies in general or for pursuing an inquiry here?

 

Her praise of Erdogan may or may not reflect her political views. Either way, but in different ways, the integrity bit is kinda off. Considering her association with Khashoggi, I kinda doubt she's politically clueless, and as such, she must realize that Erdogan's "pursuit of the inquiry" is no so much about justice, truth or any other righteous notion, but political interest. That, for now, it converges with hers, is another matter.

She does speak the truth naturally and it all makes sense....... but nothing new here !...money has always and will always rule and will get the last word.......so there is little hope that her statement would change anything on the political level.

Off-topic post and replies reported and removed.