The United States has no direct evidence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's involvement in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said on Wednesday.
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th December, 2018) The United States has no direct evidence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's involvement in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said on Wednesday."The direct evidence is not yet available.�It may show up tomorrow, it may have shown up overnight and I have not seen it," Pompeo told Fox news in an interview.
Pompeo and Secretary James Mattis are expected to brief House lawmakers on Thursday on the Khashoggi killing, Saudi Arabia and the war in Yemen. Pompeo said he and Mattis would emphasize during their testimony that Khashoggi's murder was "tragic," but would also highlight the importance of the US relationship with Saudi Arabia.
"We are going to say to the House what we' have said to the American people.�The murder of Jamal Khashoggi was a tragic incident, it was heinous," he said, before adding: "America has an important ally in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They work with us on issues that provide security for America and for Israel. It is an important relationship with the kingdom."
The CIA has reportedly concluded with a high level of confidence that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was likely directly involved in the death of Khashoggi, who was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in early October.
Pompeo emphasized that the United States has already held a number of individuals accountable for the killing by imposing sanctions on them. He pledged to continue developing facts and identify all of those responsible for the murder.
Khashoggi went missing after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2. After weeks of denials, the Saudi chief prosecutor admitted that the US-based columnist had been killed and dismembered inside the diplomatic mission.
