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While the Saudi government unveils its version of events following the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi after an avalanche of statements on Friday, glaring questions remain unanswered and are essential to whether the results of the investigation can be considered credible :
What did crown prince Mohammed bin Salman know and when did he know?
No Saudi statement indicates that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is to be held responsible. The fact that King Salman appointed him to head the committee to reorganize the intelligence services makes it clear that he is not blamed. How is it possible that several of his main assistants and intelligence officials, as recognized by the Saudis, planned an operation, but without his knowledge and approval?
Where is the body?
The Turkish authorities claimed that Khashoggi had been dismembered and other regional diplomats told NBC News that they thought he had been fired from the consulate in boxes. Has his body been transported out of the country during the two flights – one to Dubai, the other to Cairo? Thrown at sea? Buried in one of the sites near Istanbul where Turkish police have been searching? Will the Saudis facilitate the transfer of his remains to his family or will they allow an independent autopsy?
When did the Saudi government in Riyadh learn that it was dead?
Four days after his entry into the consulate and his assassination, the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and the embassy in Washington still publicly insisted that he leave the consulate. The ambassador to the United States and Crown Prince's brother, Khalid bin Salman, told the US legislature that Khashoggi had left the consulate and that there was no surveillance video because the cameras were not recording. Do the Saudis admit to lying to the Trump administration, the Congress and the public? Once they learned that he had been killed, why did they continue to hide him and for how long?
What exactly happened after Khashoggi's entrance to the consulate?
The Saudis claim that the team sent to Istanbul intended to have "talks" with Khashoggi about his return to Saudi Arabia, but the discussions did not go off as well and a fight was over. is followed. The Turkish authorities told the international and Turkish media that they had a record proving that he had been killed a few minutes after he entered the consulate and then dismembered. Both can not be true. Which one is it?
Who are the 18 Saudis who were arrested?
Are they included the 15 Saudis who, according to the Turks, were part of the strike team sent to Istanbul? If so, who are the other three? And what exactly is the allegation against them – having participated in an unauthorized operation to which they should never have taken part? Or was the operation sanctioned, but they went beyond their orders by killing and then covering it?
