CIA believes Saudi crown prince ordered journalist's killing: source

By Mark Hosenball

 

FILE PHOTO: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a meeting with U.N Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the United Nations in New York on March 27, 2018. REUTERS/Amir Levy/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The CIA believes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, complicating President Donald Trump's efforts to preserve ties with a key U.S. ally.

 

The sources said the CIA had briefed other parts of the U.S. government, including Congress, on its assessment, which contradicts Saudi government assertions that Prince Mohammed was not involved.

 

The CIA's finding, first reported by the Washington Post, is the most definitive U.S. assessment to date tying Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler directly to the killing.

 

Both the White House and the State Department declined to comment.

 

"The claims in this purported assessment is false," a spokeswoman for the Saudi Embassy in Washington said in a statement. "We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations."

 

Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government and a columnist for the Washington Post, was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 when he went there to pick up documents he needed for his planned marriage to a Turkish woman.

 

Khashoggi had resisted pressure from Riyadh for him to return home. Saudi officials have said a team of 15 Saudi nationals were sent to confront Khashoggi at the consulate and that he was accidentally killed in a chokehold by men who were trying to force him to return to the kingdom.

 

Turkish officials have said the killing was intentional and have been pressuring Saudi Arabia to extradite those responsible to stand trial. An adviser to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday accused Saudi Arabia of trying to cover up the murder.

 

Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor said on Thursday that he was seeking the death penalty for five suspects charged in the killing. The prosecutor, Shalaan al-Shalaan, told reporters the crown prince knew nothing of the operation, in which Khashoggi's body was dismembered and removed from the consulate.

 

U.S. officials have been sceptical that Prince Mohammed would not have known about plans to kill Khashoggi, given his control over Saudi Arabia.

 

The Post, citing people familiar with the matter, said the CIA's assessment was based in part on a phone call the crown prince's brother, Prince Khaled bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, had with Khashoggi.

 

Prince Khaled told Khashoggi he should go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents and gave him assurances that it would be safe to do so, the Post said.

 

The newspaper, citing people familiar with the call, said it was not clear if the prince knew Khashoggi would be killed but that he made the call at his brother's direction.

 

The prince said in a Twitter post on Friday that the last contact he had with Khashoggi was via text on Oct. 26, 2017, nearly a year before the journalist's death.

 

"I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the US government to release any information regarding this claim," Prince Khaled said.

 

The Post said the CIA also examined a call from inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul after Khashoggi's killing.

 

Maher Mutreb, a security official who has often been seen at the crown prince's side, made the call to Saud al-Qahtani, a top aide to Prince Mohammed, to inform him the operation had been completed, the Post said, citing people familiar with the call.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-11-17

I dont think anyone was ever in any doubt that he was behind it. Due to their dependence on oil though, many countries have been trying to find a way to look the other way, or mutter vaguely about some action needing to be taken, but without actually being brave enough to do anything. Despite being caught, he will get clean away with it, and they will all let him.

Oh snap.

 

 

The White House will just ignore this.

Or maybe even claim MbS, his friend, told him differently, and he is a good guy that can be trusted.

Edited November 17, 20187 yr by stevenl

The CIA has figured that out!

Damn impressive!

 

Now, it is also possible that a group of Saudis patriots decided to surprise MBS for his birthday by bringing him the head of Alfredo Garcia...uh sorry...of Jamal Khashoggi!

 

If Trump believes that MBS is innocent, then that is probably true, since the dealer in chief has proven again and again that he can figure out a character in a just a few minutes...that's how he figured that Kim Jong Un was a nice guy after all...

Edited November 17, 20187 yr by Brunolem

18 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

The CIA has figured that out!

 

What's surprising to me anyway, is the fact that the CIA is leaking this information. Trump and Jared will have Ms. Haspel in for a "conversation" in short order I imagine.

 

 

CIA concludes Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggi’s assassination

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/cia-concludes-saudi-crown-prince-ordered-jamal-khashoggi’s-assassination/ar-BBPNv7f?li=AAggbRN

 

 

 

Whenever i look at the pictures of that guy, i have the feeling he is a bad, mad man.

10 minutes ago, mauGR1 said:

Whenever i look at the pictures of that guy, i have the feeling he is a bad, mad man.

Who? Khashoggi?

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

The White House will just ignore this.

Or maybe even claim MbS, his friend, told him differently, and he is a good guy that can be trusted.

 

They're in love... Didn't you know??? 

 

Melania must be feeling a bit chuffed right about now....

 

12 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

Who? Khashoggi?

No !

I can only guess Khashoggi was not an angel, probably he "knew too much" RIP .. But we know who is the bad guy, don't we ?

Courtesy of the New York Times...

 

https://www.nytimes.com/video/world/middleeast/100000006154117/khashoggi-istanbul-death-saudi-consulate.html?playlistId=100000006169675

Edited November 17, 20187 yr by Brunolem

20 minutes ago, mauGR1 said:

No !

I can only guess Khashoggi was not an angel, probably he "knew too much" RIP .. But we know who is the bad guy, don't we ?

Yes we know: Putin!

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

 

What's surprising to me anyway, is the fact that the CIA is leaking this information. Trump and Jared will have Ms. Haspel in for a "conversation" in short order I imagine.

 

 

CIA concludes Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggi’s assassination

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/cia-concludes-saudi-crown-prince-ordered-jamal-khashoggi’s-assassination/ar-BBPNv7f?li=AAggbRN

 

 

 

If Trump is having a back channel $$$ negotiation to back off this would add pressure on MBS to settle. My view is off with his and his brother's heads with a dull sword. 

He must be livid, imagine ordering a hit on someone only for your men to be stupid enough carry it out in your embassy.

10 minutes ago, lemonjelly said:

He must be livid, imagine ordering a hit on someone only for your men to be stupid enough carry it out in your embassy.

What is strange is sending 15 or 18 guys to take care of a soft target like Khashoggi...

 

Makes one wonder if there was not a confusion, and that the real target of the plot was Steven Seagal...

Edited November 17, 20187 yr by Brunolem

The Turks have not finished with this one yet,definitely more to come.

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

and he is a good guy that can be trusted.

555. Your post deserves both a "like" and a "haha" emojis.

I have heard those words so many times in an effort to protect the guilty or the accused.

 

"Flawless execution..."

 

 

Crude down 20% since the day after the execution. Good cop / bad cop strategy paying off. Also enabled the sanction waivers in Iran.

https://www.facebook.com/141463262584158/posts/2150661091664355/


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6 hours ago, rooster59 said:

CIA believes Saudi crown prince ordered journalist's killing: source

Sure, today they say that, next week?  Just wait for the Saudi Monetary $$$Astro-glide$$$ to generously lubricate the machination of the Washington bureaucracy and I'm sure we'll find that it was all just a simple misunderstanding.
Khashoggi just tripped on his shoelace while in the embassy striking his head on a table and killing himself after which the KSA embassy staff over-reacted and got rid of the unfortunate man's body as so not to be blamed for his demise. 

Does that mean that Donald will now have to fire the CIA ???

1 hour ago, lemonjelly said:

https://www.facebook.com/141463262584158/posts/2150661091664355/


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6 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

What's surprising to me anyway, is the fact that the CIA is leaking this information. 

Why do you think it is the CIA leaking this?

 

The CIA had briefed other parts of the U.S. government including Congress, on its assessment, as the article states, so why wouldn't the leak be from others?

A  trained  special 15 (?) man hit squad , then they screw it up because they  forgot there  might be  something called  close  surveillance , especially near Embassies these days .

I believe they could  get some urgent training from Mossad if they asked nicely .

 

 

58 minutes ago, Scottjouro said:

How do you know they were not involved ?...where you there, where you part of the plot ?...there is proof that even the Saudi Gov was involved

 

Your hatred of Trumpton is blinding your perspective 

 

 

Not only evidence, but proof!

These Crown Princes have a habit of turning into tyrants when they get hold of the reins of power.

Off topic deflection posts and the replies have been removed. 

A conspiracy post has been removed. 

Duhhhh what a farce the cia and mossad have to be delighted at their incompetence I wonder with trump trying to make excuses for him perhaps he knows how his(trump)staff feel every time he opens his yap lol