Saudi Arabia has admitted Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
Khashoggi – a Saudi writer, American resident, and Washington Post columnist – entered the building on October 2 to obtain documentation certifying he had divorced his ex-wife. He never came out.
After two weeks of repeated denials that it had anything to do with his disappearance, the kingdom admitted on Saturday the journalist died in a “fist-fight” inside the consulate.
Here are the latest developments:
Monday, October 22
Four phone calls made to Mohammed bin Salman’s office from the Saudi Consulate the day Khashoggi was killed
Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb, a well-known travel companion of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, made four phone calls to the royal’s officefrom the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul the day Jamal Khashoggi was killed there, a Turkish newspaper has reported.
Yeni Safak reported on Monday that Mutreb, who was a member of MBS’s entourage on trips to the US, France and Spain earlier this year, made four calls to Bader al-Asaker, the head of MBS’ office.
It said another call went to the United States.
Saudis ‘brought Khashoggi body double’
Newly leaked surveillance footage appears to show a man walking around in Jamal Khashoggi’s clothes in Istanbul after his killing.
CNN aired the footage on Monday, citing a Turkish official as describing the man as a “body double” and a member of a 15-man Saudi team sent to Istanbul to target the writer. He was identified as Mustafa al-Madani.
CNN says the man walked out of the consulate via its back exit with an accomplice, then took a taxi to Istanbul’s famed Sultan Ahmed Mosque, where he went into a public bathroom and changed back out of the clothes and left.
Khashoggi criticised crown prince for Israel rapprochement
In a previously unheard interview with London-based outlet The New Arab (Arabic), Jamal Khashoggi is heard criticising Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s increasingly warm ties with Israel.
Khashoggi said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would not succumb to the prince’s pressure to accept a peace plan by the Trump administration because of the popular anger he would face.
In the interview, which took place in February this year, the Washington Post columnist said:
“Abu Mazen (Abbas) told (Mohammed bin Salman) ‘hey brother, I cannot do this. My people will eat me alive’.
“Abu Mazen knows the reality on the ground, he knows his people, his situation is bad when it comes to his administration.”
He also dismissed suggestions that Saudi Arabia before 1979 was a better model to follow for the running of a state than it was now.
“Saudi was not a liberal state before 1979. It was a religious extremist state,” Khashoggi said.
The Saudi crown prince has promised to reduce the influence of religious leaders in the country, which he says increased after the Iranian Revolution in 1979.
Crown prince bodyguard ‘took’ Khashoggi’s body
Turkish officials believe that Jamal Khashoggi’s body was taken out of Turkey by one of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s bodyguards, according to a report by the Middle East Eye.
Maher Abdulaziz Mutrib is reported to have been seen carrying a large bag, which was not checked as he bypassed security checks through a VIP lounge at Istanbul’s Ataturk airport.
Turkish consulate employees give statements
Five Turkish employees of the Saudi consulate in Istanbul are giving statements as witnesses under an investigation into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Turkish broadcaster NTV said on Monday.
Twenty consulate workers gave statements to prosecutors in relation to the incident last week, NTV had reported previously.
Canada could scrap Saudi arms deal
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada could cancel a multi-billion dollar defense contract with Saudi Arabia following the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in an interview broadcast Sunday.
Trudeau, speaking on French-language talk show “Tout Le Monde En Parle”, recorded Thursday, before Riyadh confirmed Khashoggi’s death at its Istanbul consulate, insisted Canada would “always defend human rights, including with Saudi Arabia.”
Canadian sales regulations for military equipment contain restrictions related to human rights violations, and military hardware cannot be used against civilians.
Asked about a key deal with Riyadh for the sale of light armored vehicles worth CAD$15 billion ($11.4bn) , Trudeau said “in this contract, there are clauses that must be followed in relation to the use of what is sold to them.”
“If they do not follow these clauses, we will definitely cancel the contract.”
Relations between Canada and Saudi Arabia have been tense in recent months.
After Canada criticised the Saudi arrest of human rights activists, the kingdom retaliated by expelling the Canadian ambassador, recalling its own envoy to Ottawa and freezing trade and investment between the two countries.
On Sunday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her country would not export arms to Saudi Arabia amid the uncertainty around Khashoggi’s death.
Indonesian president calls for ‘transparent’ probe
Indonesian President Joko Widodo called for a “transparent and thorough” investigation into the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a meeting on Monday with Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir.
WSJ: ‘Why the outrage?’ Saudi crown prince asked
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called presidential adviser and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner on October 10, eight days after Jamal Khashoggi went missing.
Why the outrage, the prince asked in English, according to people briefed on the conversation, the WSJ said.
Erdogan and Trump discuss Khashoggi case on phone
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump spoke on the telephone to discuss Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Turkish state-owned Anadolu agency said on Monday morning.
“Erdogan and Trump agreed the Khashoggi case needs to be cleared up with all aspects”, Anadolu said.
Saudi king, crown prince call Khashoggi’s son to express condolences
Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman both called Khashoggi’s son, Salah, to express their condolences, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Saudi Arabia has said Khashoggi, 59, died in a fight inside its Istanbul consulate – after two weeks of denials that it had anything to do with his disappearance.
Khashoggi’s son thanked the king and the crown prince, the report said.
Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir also extended condolences to Khashoggi’s family.
“This is a terrible mistake. This is a terrible tragedy. Our condolences go out to them. We feel their pain,” Jubeir told US broacaster Fox.
“Unfortunately, a huge and grave mistake was made and I assure them that those responsible will be held accountable for this.”
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Some observers have speculated the powerful crown prince ordered the killing of Khashoggi – who had criticised bin Salman – but the Saudi leadership has denied any involvement.
Erdogan, Trump agree all aspects of Khashoggi case need to be cleared up
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump spoke on the telephone to discuss Khashoggi’s killing, Anadolu news agency reported.
“Erdogan and Trump agreed the Khashoggi case needs to be cleared up with all aspects,” it said.
Anadolu added the two leaders also discussed American pastor Andrew Brunson, cooperation in the fight against terrorism, and the roadmap on Syria’s Manbij.
US treasury secretary’s Saudi trip back on
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin defended his decision to visit Saudi Arabia later this month despite the continuing turmoil following Khashoggi’s killing.
Last week, Mnuchin announced he would not attend a major economic conference in Riyadh after talks with President Trump about the assassination.
But speaking during a stop in Jerusalem, Mnuchin said the United States’ strategic and economic relationship with the Saudis was too important to be put in jeopardy over Khashoggi’s murder.
“We have an important relationship with Saudi, focused on combating terrorist financing and focused on our common interests of stopping Iran’s spread of both terrorism and other issues,” Mnuchin was quoted as saying by The New York Times.
“I am going to go there and meet with my counterparts and continue to focus on what’s in the treasury’s domain, as it relates to this issue.”
The three-day Future Investment Initiative, dubbed “Davos in the desert”, begins on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia. Many corporate heavyweights and prominent politicians have pulled out over Khashoggi’s murder.
Still, organisers said 120 speakers will participate, down from 150.