Jamal Khashoggi, a former Saudi government advisor, had been living in the United States since last year, fearing possible arrest. AFP/File/MOHAMMED AL-SHAIKH
US President Donald Trump charged today that the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul had given rise to “one of the worst cover-ups” in history.
“They had a very bad original concept. [Somebody really messed up.] It was carried out poorly and the cover-up was one of the worst cover-ups in the history of cover-ups,” Trump declared in the Oval Office.
“Whoever thought of that idea is in big trouble, I think, and they should be in big trouble,” he added, according to The New York Times. He also said he is reserving judgment on who was responsible for the killing until the return of US officials, who are currently in Turkey to investigate the matter. These include CIA director Gina Haspel.
Meanwhile, the United States is revoking the visas of Saudis found to be involved in the killing of the journalist inside the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said today.
“These penalties will not be the last word,” Pompeo told reporters.
Earlier, SkyNews and Russia Today said reports were that Khashoggi’s hacked-off limbs had been found in the garden of the Saudi ambassador in Turkey. These reports could not be substantiated.
(Compiled by Carina Koen.)
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