Jamal Khashoggi: US intelligence report implicates Saudi Prince Salman in murder of journalist
- Khashoggi was a Saudi Arabian journalist, author, columnist for The Washington Post
- He once served as an adviser to the Saudi government but fell out with the leadership of King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud
- He sought refuge in the US where he started criticising the Saudi government through his monthly columns published in Washington Post
- On October 2, 2018, he was attacked and killed while visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey
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A US intelligence report has linked Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi Arabian journalist, author, columnist for The Washington Post.
Source: Getty Images
He was assassinated at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018, by suspected Saudi government agents.
The US intelligence team launched a probe into the murder of Khashoggi, and the long-awaited declassified report was finally tabled before the US Congress on Thursday, February 26, according to reports.
The document indicated there were sufficient reasons to believe Salman approved the operation to capture or kill the Khashoggi during his visit to Istanbul, Turkey.
Three key findings
Salman is the son of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud and is considered to be the effective ruler of the kingdom.
The report noted that since 2017, Salman has been in charge of the Saudi government's key decision-making and operations.
The detectives also established one of Salman's advisers was directly involved in the operation that terminated Khashoggi's life.
The Crown Prince's support for the use of force and violent measures to silence dissidents was also cited as a possible reason for his involvement in the murder of Khashoggi.
"We assess that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi," the report's executive summary states as quoted by CNN.
Government critic
Khashoggi once served as an adviser to the Saudi government and enjoyed the privilege of interacting with the royal family.
However, he fell out with King Salman bin Abdulaziz's leadership in 2017 and went into exile in the US.
While in the US, the 59-year-old scribe wrote a monthly column in the Washington Post in which he criticised King Salman bin Abdulaziz's leadership and policies.
Saudi Arabian government has rejected the intelligence report, calling it "negative, false and unacceptable".
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Source: YEN.com.gh
Priscilla Aklorbortu Priscilla believes the job is the job and must be done well. Priscilla worked as a journalist at the Daily Graphic.
Aba Afful (Copyeditor) Maame Aba serves as a copy editor at YEN.com.gh. She naturally enjoys working with words and has an eye for quality content. She has a keen interest in cyberspace and wants to see YEN.com.gh produce more impactful, thought-provoking, and error-free content. Aba has five years of experience as a content writer, blogger, author, and proofreader. She graduated from the Ghana Institute of Journalism in 2017. She joined the team in 2021.
