WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler approved an operation to capture or kill murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, according to U.S. intelligence released on Friday as the United States imposed sanctions on some of those involved but spared the crown prince himself in an effort to preserve relations with the kingdom.
Khashoggi, a U.S. resident who wrote opinion columns for the Washington Post critical of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's policies, was killed and dismembered by a team of operatives linked to the prince in the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul.
The Saudi government, which has denied any involvement by the crown prince, issued a statement rejecting the U.S. report's findings and repeating its previous statements that Khashoggi's killing was a heinous crime by a rogue group.
READ: Saudi Arabia rejects U.S. intelligence report on Khashoggi's killing -statement
U.S. President Joe Biden appeared to be trying to make clear that killings of political opponents were not acceptable to the United States while preserving ties to the 35-year-old crown prince, who may rule one of the world's top oil exporters for decades and be an important ally against common foe Iran.
Among the punitive steps the United States took on Friday, it imposed a visa ban on some Saudis believed involved in the Khashoggi killing and placed sanctions on others, including a former deputy intelligence chief, that would freeze their U.S. assets and generally bar Americans from dealing with them.
U.S. officials also said they were considering cancelling arms sales to Saudi Arabia that pose human rights concerns and limiting future sales to "defensive" weapons, as it reassesses its relationship with the kingdom and its role in the Yemen war.
"We assess that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi," the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in the four-page report.
The intelligence agency based its assessment on the crown prince's control of decision-making, the direct involvement of one of his key advisers and his own protective detail, and his "support for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad, including Khashoggi," it added.
"Since 2017, the Crown Prince has had absolute control of the Kingdom's security and intelligence organizations, making it highly unlikely that Saudi officials would have carried out an operation of this nature without (his) authorization," it said.
In declassifying the report, Biden reversed his predecessor Donald Trump's refusal to release it in defiance of a 2019 law, reflecting a new U.S. willingness to challenge the kingdom on issues from human rights to Yemen.
However, Biden is treading a fine line to preserve ties with the kingdom as he seeks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal with its regional rival Iran and to address other challenges including fighting Islamist extremism and advancing Arab-Israeli ties.
'KHASHOGGI BAN'
In announcing the decision to bar entry by 76 Saudis under a new policy called the "Khashoggi Ban," the State Department said it would not tolerate those who threaten or assault activists, dissidents and journalists on behalf of foreign governments.
READ: U.S. imposes sanctions, visa bans on Saudis for journalist Khashoggi's killing
The Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Ahmed Hassan Mohammed al-Asiri, Saudi Arabia's former Deputy Head of General Intelligence Presidency, and Saudi Arabia’s Rapid Intervention Force (RIF) in connection with Khashoggi's murder.
The Treasury accused Asiri of being the ringleader of the Khashoggi operation and said several members of the hit squad sent to intercept the journalist were part of the RIF, a subset of the Saudi Royal Guard which answers only to the crown prince.
The U.S. intelligence report judged that RIF members would not have acted without the crown prince's approval.
Before the announcements, U.S. officials said the sanctions and visa bans would not target the crown prince.
"What we've done ... is not to rupture the relationship but to recalibrate to be more in line with our interests and our values," Secretary of State Antony Blinken later told reporters.
Chas Freeman, a former U.S. ambassador to Riyadh, said that despite the damning report, the Biden administration will have to deal deftly with the crown prince because "there is no way around him" as the kingdom's "chief executive officer."
Some of Biden's fellow Democrats demanded he do more to hold the crown prince accountable.
"The Biden Administration should explore ways to ensure the repercussions for the brutal murder of Mr. Khashoggi go beyond those who carried it out, to the one who ordered it - the Crown Prince himself," said Representative Adam Schiff, chairman of the House intelligence committee. "He has blood on his hands and that blood belonged to an American resident and journalist."
Biden should not meet or talk to the crown prince, known to some in the West as MbS, and should consider "sanctions on assets in the Saudi Public Investment Fund he controls that have any link to the crime," Schiff said.
Saudi Arabia's 2060 Eurobond rose after the crown prince was spared U.S. sanctions, though short-term debt and a basket of Saudi stocks ended lower.
Khashoggi, 59, was a Saudi journalist living in self-imposed exile in Virginia.
He was lured on Oct. 2, 2018, to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul with a promise of a document that he needed to marry his Turkish fiancee. Operatives linked to MbS killed him there and dismembered his body. His remains have not been found.
Riyadh initially issued conflicting stories about his disappearance, but eventually admitted that Khashoggi was killed in what it called a "rogue" extradition operation gone wrong.
Twenty-one men were arrested in the killing and five senior officials, including Asiri and senior MbS aide Saud al-Qahtani, were fired.
The report noted some of those involved were from the Saudi Center for Studies and Media Affairs, then led by Qahtani, "who claimed publicly in mid-2018 that he did not make decisions without the Crown Prince's approval."
In January 2019, 11 people were put on trial behind closed doors. Five were given death sentences, which were commuted to 20 years in prison after they were forgiven by Khashoggi’s family, while three others were given jail terms.
Asiri was acquitted "due to insufficient evidence" while Qahtani was investigated but not charged.
Reuters
Fri Feb 26 2021
The Saudi government issued a statement rejecting the U.S. report's findings and repeating its previous statements that Khashoggi's killing was a heinous crime by a rogue group. - File photo
Jualan penyaman udara naik mendadak di negara Balkan
Menetap di negara sejuk, mereka tidak pernah terfikir memasang penyaman udara di dalam rumah memandangkan musim panas bukanlah setiap hari. Namun, cuaca panas melampau membuatkan mereka bertukar fikiran.
Malaysia kecam sekeras-kerasnya pencerobohan ekstremis Zionis Israel ke atas Masjid Al-Aqsa
Kerajaan Malaysia mengecam sekeras-kerasnya pencerobohan Masjid Al-Aqsa oleh ekstremis Zionis Israel pada 13 Ogos.
Reda dengan pemergian anak walaupun bukan pengakhiran diharapkan - Ayah Nidza Afham
Ayah kepada penyanyi dan Youtubers Muhammad Nidza Afham Mokhtar reda dengan pemergian anak lelakinya walaupun itu bukan pengakhiran yang beliau harapkan.
Ahli perniagaan diberkas, terlibat dalam aktiviti kumpulan mafia
Seorang ahli perniagaan Itali ditangkap di bandar Natal, Brazil pada selasa.
Giuseppe Bruno kini menghadapi tuduhan termasuk melakukan pemerasan dan pengubahan wang haram dan juga penglibatan bersama kumpulan mafia.
Giuseppe Bruno kini menghadapi tuduhan termasuk melakukan pemerasan dan pengubahan wang haram dan juga penglibatan bersama kumpulan mafia.
Srettha hormati keputusan mahkamah
Srettha Thavisin menghormati keputusan Mahkamah Perlembagaan Thailand yang memecatnya daripada jawatan Perdana Menteri.
Lahir empat hari lepas, bayi kembar maut angkara serangan rejim Zionis
Kembar lelaki diberikan nama Asser manakala Ayssel pula nama diberi buat kembar perempuan, kedua-duanya lahir pada 10 Ogos lepas.
Lelaki tikam ibu saudara direman tujuh hari
Seorang lelaki yang disyaki menikam ibu saudaranya di kepala dengan gunting, semalam direman selama tujuh hari hingga 21 Ogos ini.
PN senarai pendek tiga calon, akan diumum selepas PRK Nenggiri
Perikatan Nasional telah menyenarai pendek tiga calon untuk bertanding pada Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Mahkota yang dijadualkan berlangsung pada 28 September depan.
10 cedera dalam kejadian reaktor kilang terbakar di Bintulu
Menurut PGOB kesemua mangsa yang cedera telah dikejarkan ke Hospital Bintulu untuk rawatan lanjut.
Mayat Muhammad Nidza Afham dibawa ke Hospital Shah Alam
Mayat Muhammad Nidza Afham Mokhtar yang ditemukan di Sungai Klang petang tadi dibawa ke Unit Forensik Hospital Shah Alam (HSA) untuk urusan bedah siasat.
Kes Khashoggi: Mahkamah AS ketepi saman terhadap Putera Mahkota Arab Saudi
Mahkamah persekutuan AS mengetepikan saman terhadap Putera Mahkota Arab Saudi Mohammed bin Salman berhubung dakwaan terlibat dalam pembunuhan wartawan Jamal Khashoggi.
Kes pembunuhan Khashoggi: Putera Arab Saudi ada imuniti - AS
Mohammed bin Salman ialah "ketua kerajaan" Arab Saudi dan beliau "kebal daripada saman ini" berdasarkan undang-undang antarabangsa.
Putera Mahkota Arab Saudi anggap Israel bakal sekutu
Putera itu juga menyatakan beliau mahu bekerjasama dengan Iran.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Lelaki Arab Saudi ditahan disyaki bunuh Jamal Khashoggi dibebaskan, berlaku 'kecelaruan' identiti
Seorang lelaki warga Arab Saudi yang ditahan selepas disyaki terlibat dengan pembunuhan kolumnis Washington Post, Jamal Khashoggi tiga tahun lalu, dibebaskan.
Lelaki Arab Saudi ditahan disyaki bunuh Jamal Khashoggi
Bagaimanapun Riyadh dalam satu kenyataan memaklumkan penahanan adalah satu kesilapan identiti.
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah antara yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari in
Tunang Jamal Khashoggi desak Bieber batal konsert F1 di Arab Saudi
Tunang wartawan Jamal Khashoggi mendesak supaya penyanyi terkemuka Justin Bieber membatalkan konsertnya yang dijadualkan berlangsung di Arab Saudi pada Disember depan.
Konsert F1: Justin Bieber digesa batal persembahan di Arab Saudi
Persembahan Bieber adalah antara tumpuan dalam konsert pembukaan F1 meskipun penyanyi rap A$AP Rocky, Jason Derulo, David Guetta dan Tiesto juga bakal membuat persembahan.
Presiden AS umum pendirian terhadap Arab Saudi pada Isnin
Ia susulan pendedahan laporan risikannya yang mengaitkan putera mahkota negara itu dengan pembunuhan kolumnis Washington Post, Jamal Khashoggi.