The New York Times reported Thursday that the Saudis are considering blaming a top adviser to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—or MBS—for the killing of Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. The Times says the Saudis are claiming General Ahmed al-Assiri killed Khashoggi after MBS ordered him to capture the journalist for an interrogation. Al-Assiri previously served as the spokesman for the U.S.-backed, Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. Turkish officials say Khashoggi was tortured and murdered by a squad of 15 Saudi hit men shortly after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Video and audio recordings from inside the consulate reportedly show Khashoggi was beaten, tortured and beheaded, with his fingers cut off and his body dismembered. Four of the men implicated in Khashoggi’s death are reportedly linked to MBS’s security detail.
NYT: Saudis May Blame Adviser to Crown Prince for Khashoggi Murder
HeadlineOct 19, 2018
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