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"shut up if you want to live when you are back in Saudi Arabia."

Saudi Arabia admits Khashoggi killed in Istanbul consulate

Saudi Arabia has admitted that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul, according to the kingdom's state media.

Al Jazeera English
5 minutes ago

Saudi Arabia admits Khashoggi killed in Istanbul consulate

Kingdom sacks top intelligence official, state media reports, saying missing journalist was killed in 'fist-fight'. 5 minutes ago

Khashoggi went missing on October 2 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul [Hasan Jamali/AP Photo]

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Saudi Arabia has admitted that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul, according to the kingdom's state media.The official SPA press agency said on Saturday that preliminary results of investigations showed that the dissident writer died after a fight broke out inside the building."An argument erupted between him [Khashoggi] and others whom he met in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul leading to a fistfight which led to his death," SPA reported."The investigations are still under way and 18 Saudi nationals have been arrested," a statement from the Saudi public prosecutor said, adding Royal court adviser Saud al-Qahtani and deputy intelligence chief Ahmed Asiri have been sacked from their positions.It remains unclear where Khashoggi's body is following his killing.Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post who wrote critically of Mohammed bin Salman's rise to power, went missing on October 2 after entering the consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents needed for his upcoming marriage.His whereabouts had remained unknown since. READ MORE

Jamal Khashoggi case: All the latest updates

Saudi officials had previously denied the writer and critic had been killed inside the diplomatic facility, insisting Khashoggi had left the building before vanishing. Turkish media reports had previously suggested that Khashoggi was killed by a 15-person "assassination team" who flew in on two chartered planes to interrogate, torture and kill him.Over the past two weeks, Turkish intelligence had also disclosed a steady stream of leaks to the media, saying it had audio recordings that proved Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate building.On Wednesday, the Turkish pro-government newspaper Yeni Safak, citing what it described as an audio recording of the journalist's killing, said the 15-member squad immediately accosted Khashoggi after he entered the consulate, cutting off his fingers and later decapitating him.Al Jazeera's Sinem Koseoglu, reporting from Turkey's capital, Ankara, said Turkish officials are accusing Saudi officials of attempting to thwart a joint Saudi-Turkish investigation, noting Mohammed bin Salman has been put in charge of leading the Saudi probe into Khashoggi's disappearance."It's a question of how to get away with murder," she said. "For the sake of the prosecution, the only thing missing is the body of Jamal Khashoggi in order to file an indictment . Now Turkey is going to ask, where is the body?"

Intelligence agency restructuring

SPA also reported on Saturday that Saudi Arabia expressed its regret for Khashoggi's death and
praised the Turkish government's cooperation.It also reported that Saudi King Salman had ordered the restructuring of the command of the general intelligence agency under the supervision of Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS.The order also included updating regulations, determining the agency's powers and evaluating its methods and procedures.It said the king ordered the formation of a ministerial committee, headed by the crown prince, to oversee the restructure. It will include the interior minister, the foreign minister, the head of the intelligence agency and the chief of homeland security.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

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Jamal Khashoggi case: All the latest updates

Saudi Arabia confirms journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside its Istanbul consulate, state media reports.19 Oct 2018 23:37 GMT

Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi entered Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to obtain a document certifying he divorced his ex-wife so he could remarry. He wasn't seen since.Early on Saturday, the Saudi kingdom confirmed the writer and critic was killed inside the consulate. Here are the latest developments:

Saturday, October 20

White House 'saddened' to hear confirmation of Khashoggi's death

The White House acknowledged in a statement the Saudi announcement on the investigation of Khashoggi's death. "We are saddened to hear confirmation of Mr. Khashoggi's death, and we offer our deepest condolences to his family, fiance and friends," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement. She added that the US will continue to closely follow the international investigations into the incident and "advocate for justice that is timely, transparent and in accordance with all due process".

US Senator Graham 'sceptical of Saudi narrative'

US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who has been outspoken on Khashoggi's disappearance, tweeted: "To say that I am skeptical of the new Saudi narrative about Mr Khashoggi is an understatement."

Saudi King orders formation of committee headed by crown prince

Saudi Arabia's King Salman has ordered the restructuring of the command of the general intelligence agency under the supervision of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the official Saudi press agency said on Saturday.The agency added the order also included updating regulations, determining the agency's powers, and evaluating its methods and procedures. The committee, according to the King's order, should report to the King within a month.

'Kingdom expresses its deep regret' over Khashoggi's killing

Saudi state-run news agency says "the kingdom expresses its deep regret" over the slaying of writer Jamal Khashoggi.

Saudi king to restructure kingdom's intelligence services

Saudi King Salman has proposal to restructure kingdom's intelligence services after Khashoggi killing, state media reported.

18 Saudi nationals arrested over Khashoggi's death

A statement from the Saudi public prosecutor said a fight broke out between Khashoggi and people who met him in the consulate and led to his death."The investigations are still underway and 18 Saudi nationals have been arrested," the statement on state media said

Saudi Arabia sacks two senior officials over Khashoggi killing

The Saudi kingdom fired royal court adviser Saud al-Qahtani and deputy intelligence chief Ahmed Asiri, state media said.

Saudi Arabia confirms Khashoggi killed inside Istanbul consulate

Saudi Arabia said on Saturday preliminary results of investigations showed US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi died in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul after a fight with people he met there, state media reported.

Friday, October 19

Saudi investment summit to go ahead with new programme

Saudi Arabia's Future Investment Initiative, dubbed "Davos in the Desert", will go ahead later this month with an updated programme that includes heads of state from the Arab world, Africa and Asia, according to a conference spokeseperson. The spokesperson added that the conference will include "business leaders, investors and innovators from across the world".A string of Western executives have pulled out of Riyadh's Future Investment Initiative conference in the wake of Khashoggi's disappearance.

Pompeo: 'Wide range' of US responses if Saudis behind journalist death

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned of a "wide range" of responses should Washington determine that Saudi Arabia is behind the disappearance and apparent death of Khashoggi."We'll certainly consider a wide range of potential responses, but I think the important thing to do is that the facts come out," Pompeo told Voice of America radio.The United States is Saudi Arabia's biggest backer and the feared murder of Khashoggi has presented President Donald Trump with one of the most acute foreign policy crises of his nearly two-year-old presidency.

Trump: Pompeo wasn't shown purported recording of Khashoggi killing

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has not seen or heard any purported recordings from the Saudi consulate in Turkey, President Donald Trump said in a tweet.

Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was never given or shown a Transcript or Video of the Saudi Consulate event. FAKE NEWS!
10:26 AM - Oct 19, 2018

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Both Pompeo and Turkey's foreign ministry dismissed media reports that said Ankara had shared audio recordings from the ongoing investigation.

Companies that have dropped out of Saudi investment summit so far

Foreign direct investment in Saudi Arabia had already fallen to historically low levels before Khashoggi went missing.
But since the allegations of his murder, many multinational companies and individuals say they are not going to a Saudi investment summit due to be held in Riyadh next week.
Find out more by watching the video below.

WATCH: Companies that boycotted the Saudi summit so far (01:36)

Ex- UK intelligence chief: 'Khashoggi probably killed on order of people close to MBS'

A former head of Britain's MI6 spy agency said Khashoggi was probably killed on the orders of people close to Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
John Sawers, who headed MI6 between 2009 and 2014, told the BBC that "all the evidence points to it being ordered and carried out" by people close to Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler.
"I don't think he would have done this if he hadn't thought he had license from the U.S. administration to frankly behave as he wished to do so," he said.
Sawyers said Khashoggi's disappearance was a wake-up call to the Trump administration about "just how dangerous it is to have people acting with a sense that they have impunity in their relationship with the United States."

ABB engineering group CEO latest to drop out of investment conference

Swiss engineering group ABB has said Chief Executive Officer Ulrich Spiesshofer will not attend the Future Investment Initiative in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, next week.
Spiesshofer joins other world business and political leaders who have withdrawn amid concern about Khashoggi's fate. ABB did not give a reason for his decision.
Airbus defence chief Dirk Hoke and Deutsche Bank's CEO Christian Sewing also dropped out.

Report: 'King Salman asserts authority, checks son's power'

Citing five sources close to the Saudi royal family, Reuters news agency reported that King Salman, long absent from the day to day running of the kingdom, has felt compelled to intervene as the Khashoggi crisis deepened.
Since outmanoeuvring his rivals to become Saudi Arabia's de-facto leader in 2017, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's portfolio of tasks had slowly expanded to include issues such as economic diversification, diplomacy and defence.
This came to a sharp halt with the disappearance of Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
The report notes that the king, initially unaware of the Khashoggi crisis, eventually sent his most trusted aide, Prince Khaled al-Faisal, governor of Mecca, to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on October 11.
"The selection of Khaled, a senior royal with high status, is telling as he is the king's personal adviser, his right hand man and has very strong ties and a friendship with Erdogan," Reuters quoted a Saudi source with links to government circles as saying.
One of the sources told Reuters that the king's unawareness was partly "because [Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman] MBS aides had been directing the king to glowing news about the country on Saudi TV channels".
"Even if MBS wanted to keep this away from the king he couldn't because the story about Khashoggi's disappearance was on all the Arab and Saudi TV channels watched by the king," another unnamed source said.
"The King started asking aides and MBS about it. MBS had to tell him and asked him to intervene when Khashoggi's case became a global crisis."

Turkish probe locates exact site of Khashoggi 'killing' - sources

Turkish investigators were able to locate the exact place within the Saudi consulate where Khashoggi was allegedly killed during their search of the building earlier this week, Turkish sources have told Al Jazeera.
The investigators, who used audio recordings of Khashoggi's alleged murder to guide their search, also confirmed that Salah Muhammad al-Tubaigy, an autopsy expert, began cutting up the 60-year-old's body immediately after he was killed, the sources said.
Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford, reporting from outside the consulate in Istanbul, said the leaks showed Turkish officials were growing "increasingly frustrated with the pace of the investigation".
"That frustration is now pushing the Turks to release more information and the more information that is being leaked, the more seemingly macabre and shocking it [this case] has become," Stratford said.

European aerospace giant drops out of Saudi investment conference

European aerospace giant Airbus said the chief of its defence and space division, Dirk Hoke, will not attend Saudi Arabia's Future Investment Initiative conference, scheduled to begin in Riyadh on October 23.
"A guideline has been issued to abstain from high profile engagements at this point in time. However, we believe it is important to maintain engagement and dialogue in a country which hosts about 1,000 of our employees," a spokesman said.
Hoke's pull out marks the latest high-profile business boycott of the event, widely dubbed "Davos in the Desert", as international scrutiny and media focus on Saudi Arabia continues to escalate following the disappearance of Saudi writer and critic Jamal Khashoggi.
On Thursday, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced he would not attend after talks with US President Donald Trump.

Turkish foreign minister denies sharing audio recordings with Washington

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has dismissed reports Ankara shared audio recordings documenting the alleged murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi with the United States, according to Reuters news agency.
On Thursday, reports suggested Turkish officials had provided US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with a recording indicating Khashoggi was killed by Saudi operatives after entering the Kingdom's consulate in Istanbul earlier this month.
Cavusoglu also said Turkey has evidence and information obtained from its ongoing investigation into Khashoggi's disappearance on October 2, and will share the results of the probe "transparently" with the world.

British Foreign Secretary: UK to take 'considered' response to results of Khashoggi probe

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the UK government will take a "considered" response to any results that emerge from the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Khashoggi.

How dangerous is it to be a journalist in the Arab world?

He also warned that allegations the Saudi writer and critic was brutally murdered would be totally unacceptable if proven to be true.
"Part of our reaction will depend on the Saudi reaction, and whether we sense that they are taking it as seriously as we are taking it. But this is a very, very serious matter," Hunt told the BBC.
"Our relationship with Saudi is a strategic relationship as well. Our response will be considered ... [but] in the end, if these stories are true, we have to be absolutely clear, it would not be consistent with our values."

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/...221512552.html