US Committed To Releasing DNI Report On Khashoggi Killing Soon - White House

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th February, 2021) The United States is committed to releasing the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) report on the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Wednesday.

"We remain committed to releasing, through the DNI of course, an unclassified report that we expect to happen soon," Psaki said during a press briefing. "I know there were also reports on a proposed call, we also expect that to happen soon, we're still in the process of scheduling when that will happen."

The call will be between President Joe Biden and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Psaki said adding that she expects Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will not be on the call.

Earlier in the day, Axios, citing a source, reported that Biden and the Saudi King will have a call on Wednesday. The report added that the DNI plans to release a declassified report on Khashoggi's murder on Thursday.

The Washington Post reported last week that the assessment implies that the Saudi Crown Prince was involved in the murder.

In 2019, the US Congress legally obliged the previous administration to release the intelligence findings, but then-President Donald Trump ignored the demand.

Khashoggi, a Saudi-born Washington Post columnist, went missing in 2018 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Riyadh initially denied any knowledge of Khashoggi's whereabouts, but eventually admitted that he was killed and dismembered inside the consulate. The government sentenced several people over their role in the journalist's murder and has repeatedly denied allegations that members of the royal family were involved in that.