Saturday, October 20, 2018

The latest Khashoggi lie

Saudi Arabia has admitted journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who disappeared after visiting the country’s consulate in Istanbul on 2 October, is dead. Riyadh claimed that he was killed in a “fist-fight” with Saudi officials.

The Saudi regime also announced a purge of senior officials including Saud al-Qahtani, an influential adviser to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and General Ahmed al-Asiri, a senior intelligence official. Both men have been fired. Eighteen Saudi nationals were said to have been arrested.

[...]

The credibility of the Saudi court is already stretched to breaking point. From the day of Khashoggi’s disappearance until the early hours of Saturday morning, the official line from Riyadh was that the exiled writer, a US resident who wrote for the Washington Post, left the consulate before disappearing.

[...]

A follow-up statement, released by the Saudi Arabian ministry of foreign affairs, claimed that discussions between Khashoggi and Saudi officials at the consulate “did not go as required and escalated negatively which led to a fight between them … and led to his death”. It also claimed that officials, referred to as “suspects”, were involved in a “cover-up”.

[...]

The announcement, which cited preliminary findings from an official investigation, was made on state television on Friday. The purge appeared to be aimed at insulating the crown prince and protecting his position. It was reported that he would remain overall head of intelligence.

  Guardian
In other words, the guy ultimately responsible.
Donald Trump has said he found Saudi Arabia’s explanation about the death of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi credible and termed it an “important first step.”

[...]

“I do, I do,” Trump said when asked if he found the Saudis’ explanation credible, adding: “It’s early, we haven’t finished our review or investigation, but ... I think it’s a very important first step.”

  The Guardian
IIf the claim is credible, where's the body?

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

UPDATE:





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