Trump sends Pompeo to Riyadh via Khashoggi; Saudis can blame officials

ANKARA / WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia is preparing to recognize the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi during a botched interrogation, CNN and the New York Times said Monday after the president American Donald Trump had presumed that "dishonest killers" could be responsible.

Trump sent Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to meet with King Salman about the affair that undermined relations between the Americans and the Saudis, carefully scrutinized by the US president.

Khashoggi, an American resident, columnist for the Washington Post and a leading critic of powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, disappeared after joining the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul two weeks ago to obtain marriage documents. Turkish officials said he believed he had been murdered and his body removed.

Members of his family called for an investigation, in a statement released Monday.

"We are sadly and anxiously following contradictory news about our father's fate after losing contact with him two weeks ago," they said.

"The strong moral and legal responsibility that our father has instilled forces us to call for the creation of an independent and impartial international commission to investigate the circumstances of his death."

Citing two unidentified sources, CNN said Monday that Saudi Arabia was preparing a report that would acknowledge that Khashoggi had been killed as a result of an interrogation that had gone wrong. The Saudi government could not be contacted immediately to comment on CNN's report.

"I've heard this report, but no one knows if it's an official report," Trump told the press, without giving further details.

The New York Times, quoting a person familiar with Saudi plans, announced that the Crown Prince had approved an interrogation or rendition of Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government, he said, would protect the prince by accusing an intelligence official of the failed operation.

The case provoked an international outcry against Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, as more and more media and business people withdrew from the planned investment conference this month. this.

The organizers announced Monday that the conference would continue, but the Saudis have canceled an annual diplomatic reception in Washington scheduled for later this week.

Many members of the US Congress, which has long had a difficult relationship with Saudi Arabia, have strongly criticized the kingdom.

The Turkish authorities have an audio recording stating that Khashoggi was killed at the consulate, told Reuters a Turkish official and a security source, and shared evidence with countries like Saudi Arabia and the United States. They did not provide any additional details.

Saudi Arabia strongly denied killing Khashoggi and called the allegations "lies", saying he had left the building shortly after his entry.

"The king has firmly denied having known about it," Trump told the press after meeting with King Salman. "He did not really know, maybe – I do not want to interrogate him, but it seemed quite to me – maybe those killers would have been dishonest. Who knows?"

The US president has not provided any evidence to support the theory. Democratic lawmakers have accused Trump of using the term "dishonest killers".

"We heard the ridiculous theory of" dishonest killers "that the Saudis had with it," said US Democratic Senator Chris Murphy on Twitter.

"Absolutely extraordinary, they were able to hire the president of the United States as a public relations officer to make it float."

INQUIRY ON THE ORDERS KING

Trump called Pompeo Sunday night and asked him to meet face-to-face with Saudi leaders, state department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

Trump said Pompeo could visit Turkey after Saudi Arabia.

Turkish police investigators entered the consulate in Istanbul late Monday. A Turkish diplomatic source had previously announced that a joint Turkish-Saudi team would search the building – the last place where Khashoggi was seen before his disappearance on October 2nd.

"It has been 13 days since the event happened, which certainly proves that some evidence might be difficult," said the Turkish official.

A Saudi official, unauthorized to speak in public, told Reuters that the king had ordered an internal investigation based on information provided by the joint team in Istanbul.

Trump threatened to "severely punish" when it turned out that Khashoggi had been killed at the consulate, although he had ruled out the cancellation of arms sales contracts. 39, worth billions of dollars with Saudi Arabia. European allies demanded "a credible investigation" and the responsibility of those responsible.

Khashoggi, a familiar face in Arab talk shows, moved to the United States last year, fearing he would be punished for criticizing Prince Mohammed, who cracked down on dissent through arrests.

A pro-government Turkish daily last week released preliminary evidence from investigators who allegedly identified a 15-member Saudi intelligence team arriving in Istanbul with diplomatic passports a few hours before Khashoggi's disappearance.

The Saudi consulate referred Reuters to the Riyadh authorities, who did not answer questions about the 15 Saudis.

Saudi Arabia reacted to Western statements by saying it would react against any economic pressure or sanctions "by taking more action," and that Arab allies have rallied to support it.

The Saudi Riyal has fallen to its lowest level in two years and its international bond prices have fallen, fearing that foreign investment will contract under international pressure.

The Saudi stock market fell 7.2% from the previous two trading days but rebounded by 2% on Monday.

Concern over Khashoggi's disappearance prompted the media and a growing number of guests to withdraw from the "Davos in the Desert" investment conference scheduled for October 23-25, which became the largest trade show intended for investors to promote the reform of Prince Mohammed.