Saudi Arabia admits the journalist Jamal Khashoggi killed at the consulate during a fight in the fist

RIYADH:

The Saudi government acknowledged Saturday morning that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed while traveling to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, saying he was dead at the time of his death. A fight with punches.

This announcement was made in a tweet from the Saudi Foreign Ministry, said that an initial investigation by the Attorney General of the Government had revealed that Khashoggi was in discussion with people inside the consulate when a quarrel broke out, turning into a fatal fight in hand.

The Saudi government said it fired. five senior officials and arrested 18 more Saudis as a result of the initial investigation. Saud al-Qahtani, adviser to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Deputy Intelligence Major General Ahmed al-Assiri were also fired.

This announcement marks the first time that Saudi officials acknowledge that Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate. Since he disappeared on October 2, while traveling to the mission, Saudi officials have repeatedly said that he had left the consulate alive and that they had no information about his fate or fate. He went to the consulate to get a document he needed for a future marriage.

Turkish investigators had concluded a few days ago that Khashoggi, one of the Washington Post's columnists, had been killed and dismembered by a Saudi team dispatched to Istanbul. US officials said Turkey had audio and video recordings proving that he had been interrogated, killed and then cut into several pieces.

According to the official Saudi announcement, King Salman also ordered the establishment of a commission to examine and "modernize" the kingdom. intelligence operations and reporting within a month

According to a list confirmed by Turkish officials, 15 Saudis flew to Istanbul on the morning of October 2, participated in an operation that left Khashoggi dead then quickly left the country. At least 12 members of this team are connected to Saudi security services and many have links to Mohammed himself, according to a review of pbadport registers, social media, local press reports and other documents. .

These Personal Relationships and Interceptions of Intelligence by the US Intelligence Service Saudi officials discussing a plan to lure Khashoggi into their home have contributed to growing suspicion that the Crown Prince was personally bound to l & # 39; incident. But the Saudi statement did not imply it in the murder.

The preliminary investigation conducted by the prosecutor concludes that the "suspects" traveled to Istanbul to meet Khashoggi, who had shown interest in returning to Saudi Arabia, the news agency official. I said. The discussions that took place "developed in a negative way" and "led to a fight and a quarrel between some of them and the citizen," he said. "The fight is aggravated to cause his death and their attempt to conceal and cover what happened," the statement said.

Investigations continue with the 18 detainees, without specifying their name.

"The Kingdom expresses deep regret for the painful developments that have taken place and underlines the commitment of the Kingdom authorities to disclose the facts to the public," the statement said.

In addition to Qahtani and Assiri, the official Saudi communiqué named several other leaders military officials who had been fired. Among them were General Rashad bin Hamid al-Mihmadi, General Abdullah bin Khalef al-Shaiyi and General Mohammed Bin Saleh al-Rumaih.

Qahtani is one of Mohammed's closest advisers, in his capacity as strategist and implementer. He had been dubbed somehow the Saudi Steve Bannon and had created a "blacklist" of online reviews of Saudi Arabia. Qahtani had approached Khashoggi and tried to persuade him to return to Saudi Arabia this summer, when US intelligence officials claimed he was trying to bring him back to the kingdom to hold him back.

"Do you think I can act?" by myself without taking orders / advice? "he said in a tweet from last year that was widely shared after the announcement." I am a reliable employee and leader of the orders of the King and the Crown Prince. "[19659004AssiriwhowasalsoclosetotheCrownPrincewasfortwoyearsthepublicfaceoftheSaudimilitaryinterventioninthecountry"ThewarinYemenbeforehisintelligencestation"AssiriwhoisfluentinbothFrenchandEnglishEnglishheldregularpressbriefingsonthestateofthebattleunusualintheMiddleEastandaimedtopromotetheprofessionalismoftheSaudiwareffort

Sarah Sanders , White House press secretary, issued a statement recognizing the announcement by Saudi Arabia that the investigation was progressing and that measures had been taken against the suspects .

"We will continue to closely monitor int investigations We are saddened to hear the confirmation of Mr. Khashoggi's death, and offer our deepest condolences to his family, his fiancé and his family. friends, "said Sanders.

Another reaction in Washington was more negative.

"To say that I am skeptical about the new Saudi story about Mr. Khashoggi is a euphemism," said Senator Lindsey Graham, RS.C., in a post on Twitter. "First of all, we were told that Mr. Khashoggi would have left the consulate and that there was a widespread denial of any Saudi involvement.Now, a fight breaks out and he is killed at the consulate, all of without his knowledge, without the Crown Prince. "

Prosecutors questioned the staff of the Saudi Arabian consulate, according to media reports, suggesting attempts to strengthen a possible criminal case with inside information from the last place where journalist Jamal Khashoggi was seen alive.

An undisclosed number of employees of the consulate in Istanbul were questioned by prosecutors, According to the official Anadolu news agency, a day after Turkish authorities began to search wooded areas in Outside of Istanbul, they reportedly searched for the remaining Khashoggi remains.

Turkish officials announced that Khashoggi, an American resident, was killed by a 15-member Saudi group after his death. he entered the consulate on October 2nd.

Refocusing on consulate employees suggests that investigators seek to strengthen iminal cases. Turkish officials say that they also have an audio tape that would record the killing of Khashoggi, but this tape was not shared with US or Saudi officials.

The disappearance of Khashoggi provoked global criticism against the Crown Prince, the de facto Saudi ruler.

According to the Turkish media, more than a dozen Turkish consulate staff members, including technicians, drivers, telephone operators and accountants, were undergoing violence. questioned by the prosecutors.

Their reports could provide valuable information about the movements of Saudi officials at the mission in the hours and days before and after Khashoggi's disappearance.

The reasons why the investigators waited more than two weeks were ignored interviews, but the move comes a day after the Turkish authorities claimed to have searched for two wooded areas just outside the city. Istanbul.

Until recently, the investigation focused on the consulate in Istanbul's Levent district and the neighboring residence of Saudi Consul General Mohammed al-Otaibi, who had left Turkey this week.

Earlier Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that his country had not provided audio recording of Khashoggi's alleged killing to US authorities, but had promised that Turkey "would share with the world" the results of its investigation, according to Anadolu.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump said Khashoggi is probably dead and warned of a "very harsh" measure against Saudi Arabia if it is proven that his responsibility is responsible for it.

(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated thread.)