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Donald Trump said for the first time that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman could have been involved in the operation to kill dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, pointing out that "the prince is directing the situation" in Riyadh.
The comments, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, seemed to mark a change in the US President's opinion on Khashoggi's badbadination on Oct. 2 in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul .
Trump had previously appeared to deny royal royal royal involvement in the newspaper. par value, but one day the State Department announced that it would revoke the visas of Saudi officials involved in the death of the writer, sanctioned Wednesday by the United Kingdom, it seemed to give the benefit of the doubt to King Salman but not necessarily to his powerful son.
Asked about the possible involvement of the Crown Prince, Trump said, "Well, the prince is directing things there even more at this point. He directs things and so, if anyone would, it would be him.
The interview was published in a pro-government Turkish newspaper, which indicates that CIA director Gina Haspel heard audio and video evidence of Khashoggi's Torture and Killing. The evidence would have been in the possession of Turkish intelligence officials.
Gina Haspel testifies at her Senate confirmation hearing in May 2018. Photo: Puce Somodevilla / Getty Images
Haspel visited Ankara on Monday evening to help the Turkish investigation into Khashoggi's death. Four sources close to the mission file told Reuters that he had asked to view the recordings
.
In a speech to Parliament on the day of Haspel's visit, Erdoğan promised to reveal the "naked truth" about what happened to Khashoggi, not to mention the existence of
During At the National Information Organization (MIT) in Turkey, officials have filed evidence gathered to date, including audio and video recordings and search results in the consulate building and the consul general, the newspaper. Progovernment Sabah
Trump told the Wall Street Journal that he had questioned Prince Mohammed about the murder of Khashoggi, stating that
"The first question I asked him was:" Did you know what whether in terms of initial planning? "… Prince Mohammed replied that he did not know it," Trump
"I said," Where did it start? "And he said that it had started to lower levels. "
When asked if he believed in the denial, the president paused for several seconds," I want to believe them, I really want to believe them, "he said.
Mohammed bin Salman meets Salah bin Jamal Khashoggi, son of Jamal Khashoggi Photograph: Bandar Algaloud Handout / EPA
Trump has issued conflicting messages in recent weeks, promising "very serious" consequences and mentioning possible economic sanctions, while ruling out a deadlock in arms sales to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia and highlighting the role of the country as the United States. ally against Iran and Islamist militants.
Over the weekend, he said that Saudi statements claiming that Khashoggi had died during a clash in hand were credible.
cancel their US visas or render them ineligible for the journalist's murder.
Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State, said that other measures were under consideration, including sanctions: "These sanctions will not be the last word of the US-US case. United States
"We affirm very clearly that the United States does not tolerate this kind of ruthless action aimed at silencing Mr. Khashoggi, journalist, by violence," said Pompeo. nor am I satisfied with this situation. "
Theresa May, speaking Wednesday in the House of Commons, said she would also take steps to prevent the suspects from entering in the United Kingdom. "If these people currently have visas, these visas will be revoked today," she told MPs.
US visa revocations are the first punitive measures taken by Trump administration against Saudi Arabia since the disappearance of Khas Under pressure from Congress, however, it is likely that Riyadh will receive a higher prize for the badbadination of Khashoggi, an American resident and columnist for the Washington Post, the Crown Prince's critic.
In the office, Trump spoke with contempt of the badbadination plot: "They had a very bad original concept. Concealment was one of the worst in the history of concealment. "
He returns to the theme of how the crime was committed during a dinner with military leaders:" They did it. poor workmanship and they did not do well to talk about it or to hide it, "he said.
" I say that they should never have thought about it. Once they thought about it, everything they did was bad too … That should never have happened.
Erdoğan publicly rejected the Saudi version in his Tuesday speech, making further allegations that the "savage" and premeditated killing of Khashoggi would be for an independent investigation.
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