Killing of Jamal Khashoggi

Killing of Jamal Khashoggi
File:JamalKahshoggi.png Jamal Khashoggi in 2011
Location of the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where the killing of Jamal Khashoggi took place
Location	Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey
Coordinates
Date	2 October 2018 (2018-10-02) Some time after 1pm, when Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate
Attack type	Torture, assassination, and dismemberment (allegedly)
Victim	Jamal Khashoggi
Perpetrators	Allegedly directed by Mohammad bin Salman (Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia) and led by General Ahmed Asiri
Assailants	15-member team brought in from Saudi Arabia
Motive	Removing a prominent dissident and critic of the Saudi leadership (alleged)
Inquiry	Ongoing

Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi Arabian journalist for The Washington Post, author, and a former general manager and editor-in-chief of Al-Arab News Channel, was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on 2 October 2018. Two anonymous Saudi government officials claimed he had been choked to death by another government operative when an attempt to persuade him to return him to Saudi Arabia went wrong. These claims have been disputed and found lacking evidence by the governments of Turkey, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, with Turkey in particular believing it was premeditated murder.

Khashoggi was visiting the consulate in order to obtain documents related to the marriage he and his fiancée were planning. As no CCTV recorded him exiting, he was declared a missing person amid news reports claiming that he was dismembered alive before he was killed inside. An inspection of the consulate, by both Saudi and Turkish officials, took place on 15 October. Turkish officials found evidence of tampering during the inspection and evidence that supported the belief that Khashoggi had been killed. Initially, the Saudi government claimed he had left alive, but 18 days later admitted he had died inside, claiming this occurred after a fight. Eighteen Saudis were arrested, including the team of 15 which General Ahmad Asiri allegedly sent to confront Khashoggi and, if necessary, detain him for a period.

On 23 October President Erdogan of Turkey indicated that the 15 men arrived at the consulate and told the staff that they were given leave for an "inspection", and indicated that Khashoggi had attempted to open and close several doors of cabinets and drawers, drawing the attention of the Turks to the incident. Erdogan proposed that Turkey would take over the investigation, looking to determine the reason for extended closure of the consulate, the identity of the "local collabourator", and the chain-of-command above the 15 man team. The three other detained persons in Saudi Arabia were consular staff at Istanbul, according to Erdogan.

Victim

Main article: Jamal Khashoggi

Khashoggi was a Saudi journalist, author, and a former general manager and editor-in-chief of Al-Arab News Channel. He also served as editor for the Saudi newspaper Al Watan, turning it into a platform for Saudi progressives.

Khashoggi fled Saudi Arabia in September 2017 and went into self-imposed exile. He said "The government banned me from Twitter when I cautioned against an overly enthusiastic embrace of then-President-elect Donald Trump." and he later wrote newspaper articles critical of the Saudi government. Khashoggi had been sharply critical of Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Mohammad bin Salman, and the country's king, Salman of Saudi Arabia. He also opposed the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.

Disappearance

Khashoggi was last seen going inside the main entrance of the Saudi consulate in Istanbul at around 1 pm on 2 October 2018, in order to obtain a document that proved he was divorced. This document would allow him to marry his fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, a Turkish citizen, who waited for hours outside. As he had not come out by 4 pm, even though the working hours of the consulate were until 3:30 pm, his fiancée got in touch with the authorities and reported him missing after the consulate closed. The Saudi government said that he had left the consulate via a back entrance. The Turkish government said that he was still inside, and his fiancée and friends said that he was missing.

Turkish authorities have claimed that security camera footage of the day of the incident was removed from the consulate, and that Turkish consulate staff were abruptly told to take a holiday on the day Khashoggi disappeared while inside the building. Turkish police investigators told the media that the recordings from the security cameras did not show any evidence of Khashoggi leaving the consulate. A security camera was located outside the consulate's front which showed him entering but not leaving, while another camera installed at a preschool opposite the rear entrance of the consulate also did not show him leaving.

Analysts have suggested that Khashoggi may have been considered especially dangerous by the Saudi leadership because he was not a long-time dissident, but rather a pillar of the Saudi establishment who had been close to its ruling circles for decades, had worked as an editor at Saudi news outlets and had been an adviser to a former Saudi intelligence chief.

Investigation

File:Secretary Pompeo Meets With King Salman (45309197352).jpg

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets with King Salman

Reuters reported on 11 October that Turkish officials were investigating whether Khashoggi's Apple Watch would reveal clues as to what happened to him inside the Saudi consulate, examining whether data from the smartwatch could have been transmitted to the cloud, or his personal phone, which was with his fiancée, Hatice Cengiz.

On the evening of 14 October, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and King Salman announced that a deal had been made for a "jointing working group" to examine the case. On 15 October the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced that an "inspection" of the consulate, by both Turkish and Saudi officials, would take place that afternoon. According to an anonymous source from the Attorney General's office, Turkish officials found evidence of "tampering" during the inspection, and evidence that supports the belief Khashoggi was killed. Turkish President Erdoğan said that "investigation is looking into many things such as toxic materials and those materials being removed by painting them over".

On the same day, after speaking to the Saudi king by phone, U.S. President Donald Trump said that Salman “denies any knowledge of whatever may have happened... The denial was very, very strong, It sounded to me like maybe these could have been rogue killers. Who knows?” On 16 October, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "reiterated U.S. concern over Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance" in a meeting with King Salman in Riyadh, while also thanking the king for his "commitment to a thorough, transparent investigation".

According to anonymous sources, Turkish police have expanded the search, as Khashoggi's body may have been disposed of in nearby Belgrad Forest or on farmland in Yalova Province, as indicated by the movement of the Saudi vehicles, and DNA tests of samples from the Saudi consulate and the consul's residence are being conducted; Al Jazeera reported that according to anonymous sources, fingerprints of one of the alleged perpetrators, Salah Muhammad al-Tubaigy, were found in the consulate.

On October 22, the Governor of İstanbul's office said Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, has 24-hour police protection.

Murder

According to numerous anonymous police sources, the Turkish police believe that Khashoggi was tortured and killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by a 15-member team brought in from Saudi Arabia for the operation. One anonymous police source claimed that the dead body was "cut into pieces" and quietly moved out of the consulate, and that all of this was "videotaped to prove the mission had been accomplished and the tape was taken out of the country". Middle East Eye cited an anonymous Saudi to say the Tiger Squad brought Khashoggi's fingers to Mohammad bin Salman in Riyadh as other evidence that the mission was successful.

On 7 October, Turkish officials pledged to release evidence showing that Khashoggi was killed. Yasin Aktay, an adviser to the Turkish president, initially said he believed Khashoggi had been killed in the consulate, but on 10 October he claimed that "the Saudi state is not blamed here", something that a journalist for The Guardian saw as Turkey trying not to harm lucrative trade ties and a delicate regional relationship with Saudi Arabia. Turkey then claimed to have audio and video evidence of the killing occurring inside the consulate. U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States had asked Turkey for the recordings. According to "people familiar with the matter", the audio was shared with Central Intelligence Agency agents, a CIA spokeswoman declined to publicly comment on it.

CNN reported on 15 October that Saudi Arabia was about to admit to the killing, but would claim that it was an "interrogation gone bad", as opposed to a targeted death squad killing. This claim drew criticism from some, considering that Khashoggi was reportedly dismembered and that his killing was allegedly premeditated, and the circumstances, including the arrival and departure of a team of 15, included forensic specialists presumed to have been present to hide evidence of the crime, on the same day.

The next day, the Middle East Eye reported that, according to an anonymous Turkish source, the killing took about seven minutes and forensic specialist Salah Muhammed al-Tubaigy, who had brought along a bone saw, cut Khashoggi's body into pieces while Khashoggi was still alive, as he and his colleagues listened to music. The source further claimed that "Khashoggi was dragged from consul general Mohammad al-Otaibi's office at the Saudi consulate ... Tubaigy began to cut Khashoggi's body up on a table in the study while he was still alive," and "There was no attempt to interrogate him. They had come to kill him."

The Turkish pro-government newspaper Daily Sabah reported on 18 October that neighbours to the consul's residence had observed an unusual barbecue party, which the paper suggested might have been to smoke-screen the smell from the incineration of the dismembered corpse: "We have been living here for twelve years but I have never seen them having a barbecue party. That day, they had a barbecue party in the garden."

The Wall Street Journal published reports from anonymous sources that Khashoggi was tortured in front of top Saudi diplomat Mohammad al-Otaibi, Saudi Arabia's consul general. Reuters reported that al-Otaibi left Istanbul for Riyadh on 16 October. His departure came hours before his home was expected to be searched in relation to the journalist's disappearance.

On 20 October, the Saudi Foreign Ministry reported that a preliminary investigation showed that Khashoggi had died at the consulate while engaged in a fight, the first Saudi acknowledgement of Khashoggi's death. On 21 October, an anonymous Saudi official said Khashoggi had been threatened with drugging and kidnapping by Maher Mutreb, had resisted and was restrained with a chokehold, which killed him.

On 22 October, Reuters cited a Turkish intelligence source and a high-ranking Arab in reporting that Saud al-Qahtani, the then-top aide for Mohammed bin Salman, had made a Skype call to the consulate while Khashoggi was held in the room. Qahtani reportedly insulted Khashoggi, who responded in kind. According to the Turkish source, Qahtani then asked the team in the consulate to kill Khashoggi and bring him his head. According to both sources, the audio of the Skype call is currently with Erdogan.

On 23 October, Sky news reported that Khashoggi's body parts had been discovered in the garden of the Saudi Consul General's home, about 500 metres from the consulate.

Alleged perpetrators

Al-Waqt news quoted informed sources as saying that Mohammad bin Salman had assigned Ahmad Asiri, the deputy head of the Al-Mukhabarat Al-A'amah and the former spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, with the mission to execute Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Another military officer with a great deal of experience in dealing with dissidents was the second candidate for the mission. On the same day, Turkish media close to the president published images of what it described as a 15-member "assassination squad" allegedly sent to kill Khashoggi, and of a black van later traveling from the Saudi consulate to the consul's home. On 17 October the Daily Sabah, a news outlet close to the Turkish president, published the names and pictures of the 15-member Saudi team apparently taken at passport control. Additional details about identities were also reported along with their aliases. According to one report, seven of the fifteen men suspected of killing Khashoggi are Mohammed bin Salman's personal bodyguards. The Daily Sabah outlet named and detailed:

File:Salah Mohammed Al-Tubaiqi at Istanbul airport.jpg

Salah Mohammed Al-Tubaigy at Istanbul Airport

• Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb (Arabic: ماهر عبد العزيز مطرب‎‎) (born 1971): a former diplomat in London, was photographed with Mohammad bin Salman on trips to Madrid, Paris, Boston and Houston.
• Salah Mohammed Al-Tubaigy (Arabic: صلاح محمد الطبيقي‎‎) (born 1971): the head of the Saudi Scientific Council of Forensics.
• Abdulaziz Mohammed Al-Hasawi (Arabic: عبد العزيز محمد الحساوي‎‎) (born 1987): works as one of Mohammad bin Salman's personal bodyguards.
• Thaer Ghaleb Al-Harbi (Arabic: ثائر غالب الحربي‎‎) (born 1979): a member of the Saudi Royal Guard.
• Mohammed Saad Al-Zahrani (Arabic: محمد سعد الزهراني‎‎) (born 1988): a member of the Saudi Royal Guard.
• Meshal Saad Al-Bostani (Arabic: مشعل سعد البستاني‎‎) (born 1987, died 2018): according to Al Jazeera, a Lieutenant in the Saudi Air Force. According to Turkish media, he died in a car accident in Riyadh on return to Saudi Arabia.
• Naif Hassan Al-Arefe (Arabic: نايف حسن العريفي‎‎) (born 1986)
• Mustafa Mohammed Al-Madani (Arabic: مصطفى محمد المدني‎‎) (born 1961): Allegedly Khashoggi's body double who made it appear he left the consulate. [1]
• Mansur Uthman Abahussein (Arabic: منصور عثمان أباحسين‎‎) (born 1972)
• Waleed Abdullah Al-Shehri (Arabic: وليد عبد الله الشهري‎‎) (born 1980)
• Turki Musharraf Al-Shehri (Arabic: تركي مشرف الشهري‎‎) (born 1982)
• Fahad Shabib Al-Balawi (Arabic: فهد شبيب البلوي‎‎) (born 1985)
• Saif Saad Al-Qahtani (Arabic: سيف سعد القحطاني‎‎) (born 1973)
• Khalid Aedh Al-Taibi (Arabic: خالد عايض الطيبي‎‎) (born 1988)
• Badir Lafi Al-Otaibi (Arabic: بدر لافي العتيبي‎‎) (born 1973)

Reactions

Saudi Arabia

Initial denial of involvement

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman claimed Khashoggi left the consulate shortly after the visit. The English-language Arab News on 10 October 2018 reported that the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S., Prince Khalid bin Salman, "condemns ‘malicious leaks and grim rumors’ surrounding Khashoggi disappearance" and that "the reports that suggest that Jamal Khashoggi went missing in the Consulate in Istanbul or that the Kingdom's authorities have detained him or killed him are absolutely false, and baseless". Saudi Arabia threatened to retaliate "if it is [targeted by] any action". Turki Aldakhil, the head of Al Arabiya, the Saudi-owned pan-Arab television based in Dubai, wrote that "If President Trump was angered by $80 oil, nobody should rule out the price jumping to $100 and $200 a barrel or maybe double that figure." However, the Saudi embassy in Washington said Al Dakhil didn’t represent the official position of Saudi Arabia, and Khalid A. Al-Falih, the Saudi energy minister, said his country "will continue to be a responsible actor and keep oil markets stable". Saudi Arabia is the world's largest oil exporter.

File:Secretary Pompeo Meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (30421982117).jpg

On 16 October 2018, Saudi Crown Prince met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss the Khashoggi case

Saudi Arabia's Office of Public Prosecution tweeted that "producing rumors or fake news [that Saudi Arabia's government was involved in the disappearance of Khashoggi] that would affect the public order or public security or sending or resending it via social media or any technical means" is punishable "by five years and a fine of 3 million riyals". Twitter has suspended a number of bot accounts that appeared to be spreading pro-Saudi tweets about the disappearance of Khashoggi.

Al Arabiya claimed that reports of Khashoggi’s disappearance inside the Saudi consulate have been pushed by Qatar. According to the Saudi daily newspaper Okaz, Qatar has a "50 percent ownership of the [Washington] Post and has influence over its editorial direction". Saudi daily newspaper Al Yaum has claimed that members of the death squad were in fact tourists.

Al Jazeera reported on 13 October that "the Arab world stays silent...there's been no official reaction from any Arab government, and hardly any condemnation from Arab media."

The New York Times reported that on 16 October, Saudi Arabia transferred $100 million to the American government in return for stabilization efforts in Syria on the same day U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Riyadh for the discussion on Khashoggi with the Saudi king, the crown prince, and the foreign minister. Brett McGurk, U.S. envoy to the coalition against ISIL, dismissed any connection between the events, noting the deal had been announced in August. The Washington Post reported that, Saudi Arabia has historically made financial largesse to countries with an aim of gaining support for its foreign policy objectives. Western diplomats suspect that Saudi Arabia will be compensating Turkey also, with a large-scale financial package for agreeing to initiate a joint investigation on Khashoggi.

Later admission of involvement

On 19 October, after 18 days of denial of any involvement with Khashoggi’s disappearance, the Saudi government admitted that he had died in the consulate. An anonymous official added that 15 officials had been sent to confront Khashoggi, that a confrontation occurred when he saw them, which resulted in him trying to flee, causing a fight that ended with him being strangled or choked, and a cover-up of the death. No evidence was provided at the time to support this explanation of events, and no information was given regarding the whereabouts of Khashoggi’s body. Five high-ranking officials have been removed from their posts, including Saudi Royal court adviser Saud al-Qahtani and deputy intelligence chief Ahmad Asiri, and 18 Saudis have been detained.

The Saudi government said that it would need another month to investigate the death.

On 21 October, Reuters reported that an anonymous government official provided further detail on the death. He said Khashoggi was allegedly threatened with drugging and kidnapping by Maher Mutreb, resisted and was restrained with a chokehold, which killed him. Mustafa Madani then left dressed in Khashoggi's clothes to deceive any observers. Khashoggi's body was rolled in a carpet and given to a "local cooperator" for disposal. The official provided Saudi documents indicating the operation was part of a wider initiative to bring expatriate dissidents home. The original plan was to keep Khashoggi in an Istanbul safehouse for a period where he would be persuaded to return home or eventually released, and Mutreb had overstepped by threatening a kidnapping. The team then filed a false report indicating they let Khashoggi leave after he warned of Turkish police interference.

On 21 October, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir stated in a Fox News interview that Prince Mohammed knew nothing of any plan to kill Khashoggi and that the whereabouts of his body remained a mystery. He called the killing a "murder" and assured Khashoggi's family those responsible would be held accountable.

Turkey

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan demanded that the Saudi government provide proof for their claims that Khashoggi left the consulate alive, something that police CCTV did not capture. Neil Quilliam, a senior research fellow with Chatham House's Middle East and North Africa program, told Business Insider that "The staccato nature of the Turkish response suggests that they were prepared to offer the Saudis a way out of the crisis — at least provide them with an off-ramp — but given the Saudi response or lack of it, the authorities continue to share more and more details."

The politician Numan Kurtulmuş, of the ruling Justice and Development Party, said that "it's not possible for the Saudi administration to wiggle itself out of this crime if it's confirmed."

On 23 October during his speech in the Turkish Parliament, Erdoğan rejected the Saudi claim of accidental killing and stated that Turkey has strong leads that prove it a premeditated and "ferocious murder".

United States

President Donald Trump expressed concern about the fate of Khashoggi, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Saudi Arabia "to support a thorough investigation of Mr. Khashoggi's disappearance and to be transparent about the results of that investigation".

The reported killing created a bipartisan uproar in Congress, shaking the foundations of the close American-Saudi relationship with calls for suspension of military sales. Senior Republican senator Lindsey Graham’s reaction was stern, as he said "there would be hell to pay" if Saudi is involved in the murder of Khashoggi. He further added, "If they're this brazen, it shows contempt. Contempt for everything we stand for, contempt for the relationship." Chris Murphy, a junior Democratic senator, wrote that if the reports are true “it should represent a fundamental break in our relationship with Saudi Arabia.” Murphy also called for at least a temporary halt in military support for the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen. The United States Congress can block or modify an arms sale.

Former ambassador to Saudi Arabia Robert Jordan said on 12 October that he is 95 percent certain that Saudi Arabia killed Jamal Khashoggi.

File:Donald and Melania Trump arrive to the Murabba Palace, escorted by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, May 2017.jpg

Riyadh summit: On 20 May 2017, President Donald Trump signed the United States–Saudi Arabia arms deal.

Senator Rand Paul said that he would attempt to force a vote on blocking future arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Senator Bob Corker, the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sent a letter to Trump over Khashoggi’s disappearance. Signed by the entire Committee other than Senator Paul who prepared his own letter, it "instructs the administration to determine whether Khashoggi was indeed kidnapped, tortured, or murdered by the Saudi government and, as the Global Magnitsky Act requires, to respond within 120 days with a determination of sanctions against individuals who may have been responsible".

Senator Bernie Sanders denounced the Trump administration, saying that "Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman feels emboldened by the Trump administration’s unquestioning support."

President Trump told journalists: "I know [Senators] are talking about different kinds of sanctions, but [the Saudis] are spending $110 billion on military equipment and on things that create jobs for this country." Trump, in responding specifically to the Senate's attempt to block the Saudi arms deal, stated that the blocking of such a deal "would not be acceptable to me". While opposing trade sanctions, Trump remained open to the possibility of other forms of what he described as the "severe punishment" of Saudi Arabia.

The Washington Post reported on 9 October that "the U.S. intelligence intercepted communications of Saudi officials discussing a plan to capture" Khashoggi. The intercepted communications were regarded as significant because Khashoggi had bought a home in McLean, Virginia, where he lived after fleeing the KSA and as a legal resident of the United States, and is therefore entitled to protection. According to NSA officials, the White House was warned of this threat through official intelligence channels. On 15 Oct Washington Post reported that U.S. pressure on Trump has been bipartisan.

Commenting on Pompeo's smiling photo op with Mohammad Bin Salman, an anonymous source close to the Pompeo meeting with Bin Salman said that the photo was not indicative that the meeting had been friendly. According to the CNN, Pompeo told Bin Salman that "his future as king depends on his handling of Khashoggi's suspected murder." Pompeo stressed that time is short and went on to tell him "bluntly that if they don't, the US will have to deal with this", and "will take action because the world will demand it and that President Trump's hand will be forced by the global pressure".

Trump said on 19 October that he "would prefer if there was going to be some form of sanction," adding that "we don't use as retribution canceling $110 billion worth of work, which means 600,000 jobs." According to the New York Times, Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance comes "at a fraught moment for the Trump administration, which is expected to reimpose harsh sanctions against Iran on November 5, with the intent of cutting off all Iranian oil exports. But to make the strategy work, the administration is counting on its relationship with the Saudis to keep global oil flowing... and to work together on a new policy to contain Iran in the Persian Gulf."

Commenting on the Saudi explanation that Khashoggi died inside the consulate after a fight, Trump said he considered it credible and called the official statement a "good first step". Several Republican senators, including Marco Rubio, Lindsay Graham, Bob Corker, and Rand Paul, have demanded a definitive response from the Trump administration towards Saudi Arabia, with the Trump administration yet remaining unwilling to impose any specific sanctions on the country. In response to Trump's apparent faith in the most recently revised official Saudi version of the murder, Washington Post CEO Fred Ryan stated, "The Saudis cannot be allowed to fabricate a face-saving solution to an atrocity that appears to have been directed by the highest levels of their government."

Canada

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that he has "real concerns" about the disappearance of Khashoggi. Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland "reaffirmed (Canada's) commitment to defending freedom of expression and protection of the free press" and raised the issue directly with her Saudi counterpart, calling for "a thorough, credible and transparent investigation into the serious allegations about Mr. Kashoggi's disappearance". She added that "Canada remains very troubled by (his) disappearance."

On October 20, after preliminary findings of the Saudi investigation emerged, Global Affairs Canada said "The explanations offered to date lack consistency and credibility." It reiterated Canada's condemnation of the killing and condolence to the family, and and urged investigators to work with Turkey toward justice.

Prime Minister Trudeau has threatened to cancel defence contract worth 15 billion dollar with Saudis over the killing.

Europe

The Washington Post on 15 October reported that "While Britain, France and Germany issued a joint statement over the weekend in which they called for a “credible investigation,” none of the three countries have gone beyond the remarks so far voiced by the White House. If anything, they’ve been even less vocal.

• France and the European Union requested for a detailed investigation on the incident.
• Germany: observers have lashed out at Trump for refusing to punish the Saudis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman said the Khashoggi case and German exports to Riyadh were "two unrelated things"." Norbert Röttgen, chairman of the German parliamentary foreign affairs committee, criticized Donald Trump’s comments, "The decisive factor now is the behaviour of the U.S. president, who basically told the crown prince, we are giving you free rein as long as you buy enough weapons and other things from us."

Germany stated the Saudi explanation as “inadequate” and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas questioned if weapons should be sold to Saudi Arabia by countries. On 21 October, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that Germany will not export arms to Saudi Arabia until the questions related to the case are resolved and persons responsible in the case are held accountable.

• Spain: The foreign ministry said it was also "upset" by the statements of Saudi Arabia regarding the killing of Khashoggi, according to written statement from Spain's Ankara Embassy on Monday. The statement said the perpetrators of the incident should pay the price of it before justice "after a wide-scoped and transparent investigation" and also offers their condolences to Khashoggi's family.
• United Kingdom: British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt met the Saudi ambassador and warned Saudi Arabia that the long-term friendship between the UK and Saudi Arabia depends on "shared values". The Labour Party's Shadow First Secretary of State, Emily Thornberry, criticized Theresa May's government's response to Khashoggi's disappearance as 'too little, too late'. Thornberry was critical of UK-Saudi relations, saying: "Imagine how this government would have reacted if either Russia or Iran had abducted – and in all likelihood murdered – one of their dissident journalists within the sovereign territory of another country."

Labour Party's leader Jeremy Corbyn and Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade Barry Gardiner called for the suspension of UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Corbyn also called for an international investigation into the murder of Khashoggi and Saudi’s war crimes in Yemen. Liberal Democrats leader Vince Cable said: "This situation gets murkier and murkier. The Government should have already suspended arms export licences to Saudi Arabia given the outrages in Yemen. This reinforces the argument for loosening the bonds to the regime."

On 19 October the former chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), John Sawers, told the BBC that all the evidence suggested Crown Prince Salman was behind the death of Khashoggi, and that the theory that rogue elements in the Saudi military were responsible was "blatant fiction". British foreign minister Hunt, spoke to his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir, on 21 October to convey the British view that the explanation provided was not entirely credible.

Joint statements

• : On 21 October responding to the statement from Saudi Arabia confirming the death of Khashoggi in a fist fight, France, Germany and the UK issued a joint statement expressing shock and condemning the killing of Khashoggi, saying there is an "urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened". The statement mentioned the Saudi explanation of the events and added "There remains an urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened... beyond the hypotheses that have been raised so far in the Saudi investigation, which need to be backed by facts to be considered credible."

Arab world

• Middle East Eye reported on 15 October that "Largely silent until Sunday, Arab leaders come out publicly in support of kingdom after US President Donald Trump threatens 'severe punishment'." According to the Arab League, "It is totally unacceptable, in the context of relations between countries, to wave economic sanctions as a policy or tool to achieve political goals."
• Bahrain: The Foreign ministry released a statement that Saudi Arabia is "the essential foundation for the security and stability of the Arab and Islamic worlds and the solid foundation and strong pillar of stability in the region".
• Egypt: Ahmed Hafidh, a foreign ministry spokesman, said that "Egypt reaffirms its support for the kingdom in its efforts and positions dealing with this event."
• Lebanon: Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who was himself in 2017 was allegedly kidnapped and forced to resign in Saudi Arabia, said in a statement that he stood in solidarity with Saudi Arabia "in the face of the campaigns targeting it". Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech: "I tell the Saudi rulers that now is the right time to take a bold and brave stance and stop the war on Yemen... The international cover for their war on Yemen has started to crumble, especially after [Khashoggi] incident. The kingdom's image in the world has never been worse throughout 100 years." According to Rami George Khouri, a professor of journalism at the American University of Beirut, "The case of Jamal Khashoggi, unfortunately, is only the tip of the iceberg... it would only be the most dramatic example of a trend that has been ongoing for at least 30 to 40 years, but which has escalated under [Saudi crown prince Mohammad bin Salman]".
• Palestine: President Mahmoud Abbas said in a statement that "Palestine was – and shall remain – on the side of Saudi Arabia."
• United Arab Emirates: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash advised against destabilizing and politically targeting Saudi Arabia and the effect it may cause in the region and tweeted "the repercussions of the political targeting of Saudi Arabia will be dire for those who fuel it. It remains that the success of Saudi Arabia is what the region and its people want." The UAE government commended the admission of Khashoggi's death from Saudi Arabia and the actions of apprehending those responsible and bringing them to justice.
• Yemen: President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, who has been living in exile in Saudi Arabia since 2015, said that "The cheap political and media targeting of Saudi Arabia will not deter it from continuing its leading role in the Arab and Islamic worlds."

Asia

• Indonesia: President, Joko Widodo said he was "deeply concerned" about the killing of Khashoggi and that he wanted a transparent investigation. Widodo met with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir at the presidential palace in the West Java city of Bogor. Widodo's concerns were relayed by Indonesia's foreign minister following the meeting. The minister, Retno Marsudi, told reporters that "the president is deeply concerned with the Khashoggi case and Indonesia hopes that the ongoing investigation will be transparent and meticulous."
• Japan: Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference that the death of Jamal Khashoggi is "extremely regretful", according to Japanese news agency Kyodo. Suga stated that Japan "strongly hopes for an early discovery of the truth and fair, transparent responses" through Turkey's investigation of the case.

Oceania

• Australia: Prime Minister Scott Morrison has condemned the death of Khashoggi, and announced it was no longer “appropriate” to attend next week’s Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh. “We deplore the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. We expect the Saudi government to cooperate fully with Turkish authorities regarding the investigation of this matter. Australia will stand with all other like-minded countries in condemning this death, this killing, and we expect there to be full cooperation. Those who have been arrested will go through the proper process. And we expect the truth to be determined through that process and those responsible to be held accountable,” Morrison said.
• New Zealand: The Government of New Zealand has officially condemned the killing. In a statement, Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters said, "With the confirmation of the death we express our deepest condolences to Mr Khashoggi’s family and friends. Those responsible for his death must be held accountable." In the same statement, Trade Minister David Parker announced that New Zealand would not be taking part in the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh.

Commercial interests

British business magnate Richard Branson issued a statement on 11 October that he was suspending his advisory role for the two Saudi Vision 2030-related projects amidst the Khashoggi controversy.

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, The Blackstone Group CEO Stephen Schwarzman, Google Cloud Chief Executive Diane Greene, Viacom CEO Robert Bakish, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, AOL co-founder Steve Case, Richard Branson's Virgin Group, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, the Financial Times, Bloomberg, CNN, The New York Times, The Economist, CNBC, and Ford Motor chairman Bill Ford all withdrew their participation in the Saudi Future Investment Initiative (FII), which is in its second year. Y Combinator CEO Sam Altman announced that he is suspending his "involvement with the NEOM advisory board until the facts regarding Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance are known". Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser pulled out the day before conference start.

The French finance minister Bruno Le Maire, Dutch finance minister Wopke Hoekstra, British Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox, United States Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde withdrew their participation in the FII conference as well. The Government of Canada has also indicated that they have no intention of sending anyone to the conference.

Bahrain's foreign minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa called for a boycott of Uber in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, urging to "boycott anyone who boycotts Saudi Arabia". The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia invested $3.5 billion in Uber in 2016.

Four American senators, including two members of the Committee on Foreign Relations, urged professional wrestling company WWE (which involves sitting Administrator of the Small Business Administration Linda McMahon) to reconsider its business relationship with Saudi Arabia, particularly its upcoming event, Crown Jewel. Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, who wrestles for WWE under the ring name Kane, is scheduled to take part in the show. His spokesman said, "Mayor Jacobs won't speculate on Mr. Khashoggi's disappearance. However, he and his family are in the mayor's thoughts and prayers." The on-sale ticket date for Crown Jewel (previously 19 October) was removed from WWE.com, and no venue is specified.

On 18 October, Twitter suspended a number of suspected bot accounts constructed to support Mohammed bin Salman, and appearing to smear Khashoggi.

Other alleged attempts

See also: Tiger Squad

Following Jamal Khashoggi's killing and mutilation, several other exiled Saudi activists reported that the Saudi regime attempted to lure them into their embassies.

Exiled Saudi activist Omar Abdulaziz said he was approached earlier in 2018 by Saudi officials who urged him to visit their embassy with them to collect a new passport. The Saudi activist stated that the officials from the Saudi regime, "They were saying 'it will only take one hour, just come with us to the embassy.'" After Omar Abdulaziz refused, Saudi authorities arrested two of his brothers and several of his friends in Saudi Arabia. Abdulaziz secretly recorded his conversations with those officials, which were several hours long, and provided them to The Washington Post.

Opposition Saudi scholar Abdullah Alaoudh said he was subjected to a similar "plot" when he sent in a passport renewal application to the Saudi embassy in Washington. Alaoudh said, "They offered me a 'temporary pass' that would allow me to return to Saudi Arabia." Alaoudh suspected a trap and just let his passport expire.

Prominent Saudi women's rights activist Manal al-Sharif also separately reported a similar event during her exile in Australia, having said "If it weren't for the kindness of God I would have been [another] victim."

Middle East Eye revealed by citing unnamed Saudi sources that the murder is part of a larger operation of silently murdering critiques of Saudi government by a death squad named "tiger squad", comprised of the most trusted and skilled intelligence officials of the Crown Prince, bin Salman. The tiger squad assassinates dissidents using varying methods such as planned car accidents, house fires, or poising in a clinic by injecting poisonous substances to a member of opposition who refers to a Saudi hospital for a regular health checkup. The five-member squad were also the part of the 15-member death squad who were sent to murder Khashoggi. According to the sources, Bin Salman has chosen silent murder instead of arrest as the method of repression due to the fact only arresting the dissents spark international pressures for releasing them, whereas silent murder covers it up as a natural incident. Prince Mansour bin Muqrin has already been assassinated by shooting his personal aircraft as he was fleeing the country but it was made to appear as a natural accident. Meshal Saad al-Bostani a member of the tiger squad and a lieutenant in Saudi airforce was behind the murder but he himself was also later murdered by a food poison but told to have died as a result of car accident. Another victim has been Suliman Abdul Rahman al Thuniyan, a Saudi court judge who was murdered by injection of deadly virus to his body when he had visited a hospital for a regular health checkup. This took place after he had opposed Bin Salman's 2030 Economic Vision.

See also

• Freedom of the press
• Human rights in Saudi Arabia
  • Israa al-Ghomgham – Saudi human rights activist facing execution by beheading
  • Sheikh Baqir al-Nimr – dissident cleric executed for criticism of the Saudi regime
  • Raif Badawi – imprisoned Saudi dissident, writer and activist
  • Hamza Kashgari – pro-democracy activist and columnist imprisoned for blasphemy
  • Dina Ali Lasloom – imprisoned Saudi asylum seeker
  • Samar Badawi – imprisoned Saudi activist
  • Fahad Al-Butairi – abducted in Jordan and taken to be imprisoned in Saudi Arabia
  • Manal al-Sharif – Saudi human rights activist
  • Loujain al-Hathloul – imprisoned Saudi activist
  • Mishaal bint Fahd bin Mohammed Al Saud – Saudi princess executed for alleged adultery
  • Sara bint Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – exiled Saudi princess and regime critic
• 2016 Saudi Arabia mass execution
• 2017 Saad Hariri affair
• Saudi Arabian involvement in the Syrian Civil War
• Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen

External links

• Khashoggi's columns for The Washington Post
• Visual guide to Khashoggi's disappearance on The Guardian