(MENAFN- NewsBytes)
There'll be full report on Khashoggi's murder by Tuesday: Trump
18 Nov 2018
US President Donald Trump has said he had spoken with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) chief on the agency's assessment of the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and that there will be a "very full report" by Tuesday.
This comes amid reports that the CIA had held powerful the Saudi Crown Prince responsible for the murder of the dissident journalist.
Here's more.
CIA chief has been studying Khashoggi murder case very closely
Details
The death of 59-year-old Khashoggi, a one-time insider turned critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and a resident of the US has spurred a wave of international anger against Saudi Arabia and its ruler.
In an interaction with reporters in California on Saturday, Trump said that he spoke with Central Intelligence Agency Director Gina Haspel, who has been studying this case very closely.
CIA's report, a very premature report: Trump
CIA report
"It's a horrible thing that took place, the killing of a journalist... It should never have happened," Trump said.
On reports that CIA had assessed involvement by the Crown Prince, he said, "They haven't assessed anything yet. It's too early. That was a very premature report."
"We'll be having a very full report over the next two days, probably Monday or Tuesday," Trump said.
Full report to address who is responsible
Fact
Trump said the report will address what "we think the overall impact was and who caused it, and who did it." He added, "In the meantime, we're doing things to some people that we know for a fact were involved and we're being very tough."
Saudi admits Khashoggi had been murdered at the consulate
Saudi's statement
Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to obtain paperwork for his marriage.
Saudi Arabia had offered a series of contradictory explanations for Khashoggi's death.
After repeated denials, however, Saudi Arabia finally admitted Khashoggi had been murdered at the compound but blamed it on a "rogue" operation.
CIA assessed Crown Prince's role based on multiple sources
Washington Post
On Friday, the Washington Post reported CIA assessed with high confidence the Saudi leader's role, based on multiple intelligence sources.
CIA found that 15 Saudi agents flew on government planes to Istanbul and carried out the killing at the Saudi consulate, the report said, adding it could complicate Trump's efforts to preserve US ties with one of the closest American allies in the region.
Claims in CIA's purported assessment 'false': Saudi Embassy spokeswoman
Fact
Fatimah Baeshen, a spokeswoman for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, said that the claims in the CIA's "purported assessment are false." She said, "We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations."
Khashoggi injected with drug resulting in overdose leading to death
The killing
Officially, Saudi Arabia has blamed the brutal murder of Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to rogue elements.
Khashoggi was forcibly restrained and injected with a large amount of a drug resulting in an overdose that had led to his death, alleged the Saudi prosecutors, who have sought the death penalty for 11 of its officials.
Turkish investigating agencies provided CIA audio recording proving Khashoggi's murder
Audio recording
Turkish investigating agencies provided the CIA an audio recording that proves the brutal murder of Khashoggi.
After his killing, one of those involved in it called Saud al Qahtani, then one of the top aides to the Crown Prince, and informed him that the operation had been completed, according to people familiar with the call he had made.
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