Saudi Arabia’s attorney general said Thursday that evidence shared by Turkish officials suggests that the killing of writer Jamal Khashoggi was “premeditated.” In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, Saud al-Mojeb said indications were that the "suspects in the incident had committed their act with a premeditated intention." The investigation continues in order to "complete the course of justice," it added. The acknowledgment was the latest change in the Saudi government's shifting account of what happened to Khashoggi after he entered its consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. President Donald Trump has called the effort to conceal Khashoggi's killing the "worst cover-up ever." After vehement denials that Riyadh was involved in Khashoggi's disappearance, Saudi officials admitted last week that the U.S.-based dissident was killed inside the building. However, the Saudis had previously maintained that Khashoggi’s death was a mistake when an attempt by operatives to persuade him to return to Saudi Arabia escalated into a fatal fistfight. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told Fox News on Sunday that the death was the result of a “rogue operation" in which individuals exceeded their authority. And earlier this week, officials told NBC News that the original plan was to hold Khashoggi against his will for up to two days in a safe house in Turkey while persuading him to return to Saudi Arabia. Turkish authorities have continually disputed that Khashoggi was killed by mistake, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying Tuesday that he believed Khashoggi’s murder was “premeditated.” “It appears that the squad who planned and executed the murder had been informed of Jamal Khashoggi’s visit," Erdogan added. Despite the shifting narrative, the Saudis have maintained that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had no prior knowledge of the operation. But U.S. officials told NBC News last week that American intelligence agencies believe it's inconceivable that the crown prince had no connection to Khashoggi's death but that they still have no "smoking gun" evidence that he ordered the journalist killed. The crown prince on Wednesday called the killing a “heinous crime that cannot be justified.”<doc-sep>Saudi prosecutors said the alleged killers of Jamal Khashoggi acted intentionally, in comments published by Saudi news agency SPA. The finding runs completely counter to earlier assertions that Khashoggi's death at Riyadh's Turkish consulate was accidental. Saudi officials initially claimed that Khashoggi had left the embassy safely. Turkish forensic officials at the Saudi consul's residence in Istanbul "Information has come from the Turkish side indicating that the suspects in the Khashoggi case embarked on their act with a premeditated intention," Saudi Attorney General Saud al-Mojeb said. "The public prosecution continues its investigations with the accused in light of what it has received and the results of its inquiry," he added. Merkel calls for investigation Angela Merkel's spokesman said on Thursday that the Chancellor had spoken with Saudi King Salman and condemned the killing "in the sharpest possible manner." She called for a quick, transparent and credible investigation of Khashoggi's death and for all those responsible to be held accountable. On Sunday, Merkel said Germany would stop exporting weapons to Saudi Arabia, at least for the time being. Khashoggi's eldest son was reported to have flown out of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, according to Reuters. Salah Khashoggi was seen at the royal palace on Tuesday, shaking hands with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. According to Human Rights Watch, Salah Khashoggi is on his way to the United States after a travel ban on him was lifted. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death Vanishes into thin air October 2: Prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where he had gone to obtain an official document for his upcoming marriage to his Turkish fiancee, Hatice Cengiz. He never emerged from the building, prompting Cengiz, who waited outside, to raise the alarm. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death Confusion over whereabouts October 3: Turkish and Saudi officials came up with conflicting reports on Khashoggi's whereabouts. Riyadh said the journalist had left the mission shortly after his work was done. But Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said the journalist was still in the consulate. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death Murder claims October 6: Turkish officials said they believed the journalist was likely killed inside the Saudi consulate. The Washington Post, for which Khashoggi wrote, cited unnamed sources to report that Turkish investigators believe a 15-member team "came from Saudi Arabia" to kill the man. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death Ankara seeks proof October 8: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on Saudi Arabia to prove that Khashoggi left its consulate in Istanbul. Turkey also sought permission to search the mission premises. US President Donald Trump voiced concern about the journalist's disappearance. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death 'Davos in the Desert' hit October 12: British billionaire Richard Branson halted talks over a $1 billion Saudi investment in his Virgin group's space ventures, citing Khashoggi's case. He also pulled out of an investment conference in Riyadh dubbed the "Davos in the Desert." His move was followed by Uber's Dara Khosrowshahi, JP Morgan's Jamie Dimon and a host of other business leaders. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death Search operation October 15: Turkish investigators searched the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The search lasted more than eight hours and investigators removed samples from the building, including soil from the consulate garden and a metal door, one official said. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death Death after fistfight October 19: Saudi Arabia finally admitted that Khashoggi died at the consulate. The kingdom's public prosecutor said preliminary investigations showed the journalist was killed in a "fistfight." He added that 18 people had been detained. A Saudi Foreign Ministry official said the country is "investigating the regrettable and painful incident." Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death 'Grave mistake' October 21: Saudi Arabia provided yet another account of what happened to Khashoggi. The kingdom's foreign minister admitted the journalist was killed in a "rogue operation," calling it a "huge and grave mistake," but insisted that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had not been aware of the murder. Riyadh said it had no idea where Khashoggi's body was. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death Germany halts arms sales October 21: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany would put arms exports to Saudi Arabia on hold for the time being, given the unexplained circumstances of Khashoggi's death. Germany is the fourth largest exporter of weapons to Saudi Arabia after the United States, Britain and France. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death Strangled to death, dissolved in acid October 31: The Turkish prosecutor concluded that Khashoggi was strangled to death soon after entering the consulate, and was then dismembered. Another Turkish official later claimed the body was dissolved in acid. Turkish President Erdogan said the order to murder the journalist came from "the highest levels" of Saudi Arabia's government. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death Grilled at the UN November 5: Saudi Arabia told the United Nations it would prosecute those responsible for Khashoggi's murder. This came as the United States and dozens of other countries raised the journalist's death before the UN Human Rights Council and called for a transparent investigation. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death Fiancee in mourning November 8: Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, wrote on Twitter that she was "unable to express her sorrow" upon learning that the journalist's body was dissolved with chemicals. "Are these killers and those behind it human beings?" she tweeted. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death Turkey shares audio recordings November 10: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reveals that officials from Saudi Arabia, the US, Germany, France and Britain have listened to audio recordings related to the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death Symbolic funeral prayers November 16: A symbolic funeral prayer for Khashoggi is held in the courtyard of the Fatih Mosque in Istanbul. Yasin Aktay, advisor to President Erdogan, speaks at the service. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death Saudi-owned villas searched November 26: Turkish forensic police bring the investigation to the Turkish province of Yalova, where sniffer dogs and drones search two Saudi-owned villas in the village Samanli. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death 100 days since killing January 10: Amnesty International Turkey members demonstrate outside the Saudi Arabia Consulate in Istanbul, marking 100 day since the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. One woman holds up a street sign which reads "Jamal Khashoggi Street". The organization has called for an international investigation into the case. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death Saudi murder trial begins January 3: The Khashoggi trial begins in Saudi Arabia, where state prosecutors say they will seek the death sentence for five of the eleven suspects. A request for the gathered evidence has been send to Turkish authorities. A date for the second hearing has not yet been set. Jamal Khashoggi: A mysterious disappearance and death UN inquiry team in Turkey January 28: Agnes Callamard, who is leading the UN probe into the handling of the Khashoggi case, arrives in Ankara where she meets with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. The human rights expect will stay in the country for the rest of the week to speak with prosecutors and others involved in the case. Author: Ashutosh Pandey Saudi Arabian authorities have been trying to distance Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from Khashoggi's killing. The prince on Thursday chaired the first meeting of a committee to overhaul the general intelligence agency, SPA reported. Salman called Khashoggi's killing "heinous" and "painful to all Saudis" in his first public remarks on the incident on Wednesday. At the weekend 18 Saudis were arrested, and four senior intelligence officials and a royal adviser were fired. On Thursday the Reuters news agency and The Washington Post reported Turkey had shared audio recordings of the killing with CIA Director Gina Haspel, marking the first time Turkish investigators officially shared information with the US.<doc-sep>Khashoggi killing: France won't 'risk business' with Saudi Arabia top stories direct to your inbox SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up to receive our rundown of the day'sdirect to your inbox When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. “We have gotten ourselves into a master-slave relationship. We think that by selling [the Saudis] capital goods, arms or luxury [goods] they will come to depend on us, but the opposite is true,” Mr Conesa told Europe 1 radio. It’s easy for the Americans to insist on sanctions against the oil-rich kingdom because, unlike the French, they’re protected by their shale resources, he added. “The oil market is becoming extremely tight. And it is therefore totally impossible for the French, and other Europeans, to impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia. The Americans can because they have shale gas, an alternative to oil, but we have nothing. “We now find ourselves completely trapped by an American strategy that has left us with our hands tied.” The so-called shale revolution has greatly reduced America’s dependence on imported crude oil and petroleum products, from 57 per cent a decade ago to about 20 per cent. North American shale can be developed relatively quickly and at low cost, in contrast to multi-billion dollar deep-water projects that take years to develop. France said earlier on Wednesday it could impose sanctions on Saudi Arabia if its intelligence services find that the kingdom orchestrated the murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who died at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 under murky circumstances. The French reaction has been relatively guarded to date, as Paris has tried to protect its close commercial relations with Riyadh spanning energy, finance and arms. European parliament in Strasbourg President Emmanuel Macron expressed deep outrage at Mr Khashoggi’s death<doc-sep>
Send this page to someone via email DUBAI — Saudi Arabia‘s public prosecutor said on Thursday the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi was premeditated, citing a joint Saudi-Turkish investigation, state media reported. Saudi officials had earlier said an internal investigation suggested Khashoggi was killed in a botched operation to “negotiate” his return to the kingdom. Initially, Riyadh denied having anything to do with Khashoggi’s disappearance after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. READ MORE: Saudi foreign minister commits to ‘comprehensive’ probe of Jamal Khashoggi’s killing Turkey and Western allies of Riyadh have voiced deep doubt towards Saudi explanations of the killing. Turkey has dismissed Saudi efforts to blame rogue operatives and urged the kingdom to search “top to bottom” for those responsible for the killing. “Information from the Turkish side affirms that the suspects in Khashoggi’s case premeditated their crime,” a statement from the Saudi public prosecutor said. Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Information from the Turkish side affirms that the suspects in Khashoggi's case premeditated their crime," a statement from the Saudi public prosecutor said. Story continues below advertisement Saudi prosecutors are interrogating suspects on the basis of information provided by a joint Saudi-Turkish task force, the statement carried by the Saudi state news agency added. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan spoke to Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the two discussed the steps needed to bring to light all aspects of the killing, Saudi and Turkish media said on Wednesday. WATCH: Pompeo says U.S. has identified Khashoggi’s killer, is already taking action 0:46 Pompeo says U.S. has identified Khashoggi’s killer, is already taking action Pompeo says U.S. has identified Khashoggi’s killer, is already taking action – Oct 23, 2018 CIA director Gina Haspel heard an audio recording of the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi during her visit to Turkey this week, two sources told Reuters on Thursday. On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump was quoted by the Wall Street Journal as saying that as Riyadh’s paramount ruler, Prince Mohammed bore ultimate responsibility for the operation that led to Khashoggi’s death. Story continues below advertisement In a separate statement, SPA said the crown prince presided over the first meeting of a committee to restructure the kingdom’s intelligence services. The meeting evaluated current practices and set up recommendations to improve the agencies’ work, it said. WATCH: Trump calls Jamal Khashoggi death the worst cover up ‘in the history of cover ups’ 0:44 Trump calls Jamal Khashoggi death the worst cover-up ‘in the history of cover-ups’ Trump calls Jamal Khashoggi death the worst cover-up ‘in the history of cover-ups’ – Oct 23, 2018 British Prime Minister Theresa May joined other Western leaders on Wednesday and expressed skepticism about the Saudi explanation of Khashoggi’s death, saying it lacked credibility. Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al Falih conceded on Wednesday that the scandal over Khashoggi had hurt the kingdom’s image. “It’s not a death, it’s a murder. We admit it, we’re dealing with it. As such, we will be transparent and show our allies and friends in the United States … that the kingdom is as unhappy about what has happened as anybody else,” he told CNN on the sidelines of an investment conference in the capital Riyadh. Story continues below advertisement “In fact, we are more unhappy because it has tarnished the name of the kingdom,” he added. WATCH: Big Oil tells Saudi Arabia: We’ll never leave you 2:12 Big Oil tells Saudi Arabia: We’ll never leave you Big Oil tells Saudi Arabia: We’ll never leave you – Oct 25, 2018