Saudi Leaders May Blame Senior Intelligence Official For Khashoggi's Death - Reports

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th October, 2018) The leaders of Saudi Arabia may blame a senior intelligence official for the death of Jamal Khashoggi, US media reported on Thursday.

Three people with knowledge of the plan told The New York Times the kingdom would place blame on General Ahmed al-Assiri, a high-ranking adviser to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Saudi leaders are expected to say the Crown Prince ordered Assiri to capture Khashoggi for interrogation, but that the general either misunderstood the instructions or overstepped his authorization, resulting in the journalist's death, the report said.

Khashoggi, a columnist for the Washington Post, vanished after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to obtain a marriage document. Turkish officials have reportedly said they have audio and video evidence suggesting that the journalist was murdered in the Saudi Consulate. After initially insisting that Khashoggi left the consulate unharmed, Saudi Arabia later said it would investigate the journalist's disappearance.