Was Khashoggi killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul?
Saudi Arabia discards ‘threats’ after Trump remarks on missing columnist Jamal Khashoggi
President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Saudi Arabia could face “severe penalty” if it’s established the absent journalist was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Saudi Arabia said on Sunday that it discarded any “threats” of economic or political pressure after President Donald Trump cautioned of “severe sanctions” if it turns out missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi was actually killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
The announcement carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency also cautioned that the kingdom would retort to any steps taken against it with “bigger action.”
“The kingdom confirms its total rejection of any intimidations and efforts to undermine it, whether by threatening to levy economic sanctions, using political pressures, or echoing false allegations,” it read.
While the announcement did not refer to Khashoggi or Trump blatantly, it came a day after the president swore to “get to the bottom” of the journalist’s vanishing in an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes.”
When he was questioned whether Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gave an order to execute Khashoggi, Trump said “nobody knows yet, but we’ll perhaps be able to find out soon.”
Khashoggi is a Saudi citizen and criticizer of the government who disappeared on Oct. 2 after entering the consulate, causing a major diplomatic calamity for the kingdom.
The Saudi government has denied the allegations that it was is any way responsible for Khashoggi’s disappearance.
In the clip CBS relayed ahead of Sunday’s show, Trump held that his son-in-law Jared Kushner spoke with the crown prince, who repetitively denied having anything to do with Khashoggi’s vanishing.
The statement went on to convey that Saudi Arabia is “dedicated to its principles, rules and traditions and is in agreement with international laws and conventions.”
However, despite the denial, rising evidence that the Saudis were tangled in this messy situation has fueled a mounting outcry from overseas governments, U.S. lawmakers and the Trump administration, all of whom have necessitated more information.
In a combined announcement on Sunday, Germany, France and Britain called for a “reliable investigation” into what transpired and “if relevant” identify those answerable for his disappearance, according to The Associated Press.
Turkish authorities have voiced to U.S. officials that they have footage from inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul that provide proof that Khashoggi was murdered inside.
The recordings were crucial to Turkey being confident enough to state that Khashoggi is dead and that Saudi Arabia killed him, according to both U.S. and Turkish officials.
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Source: nbcnews.com, cnbc.com
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