Reports: Saudi Arabia prepared to admit Khashoggi killed in interrogation

Saudi Arabia will admit that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed during a botched interrogation, but would abdicate responsibility for the murder, sources told CNN.

MENA

1 min read

The New Arab

15 October, 2018

Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Turkey (Twitter)

The Saudis are preparing a report that will acknowledge that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death was the result of an interrogation that went wrong, one that was intended to lead to his abduction from Turkey, two sources told CNN.

"One source says the report will likely conclude that the operation was carried out without clearance and transparency and that those involved will be held responsible," the news network said, adding that the sources acknowledged that the report is still being prepared and cautioned that things could change.

The remarks follow reports that King Salman ordered an "internal probe" into the disappearance, a move critics say is designed to deflect the growing pressure on the kingdom and possibly produce a "scapegoat".

However most analysts agree that a high-profile operation such as the one behind Khashoggi's disappearance could have only been ordered by the top leadership in the kingdom.

Amnesty International reports that torture and other ill-treatment of detainees in Saudi Arabia is common and widespread.