CIA finds Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggi killing

The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, the Washington Post has reported.

The Post said US officials expressed high confidence in the CIA assessment, which contradicts Saudi government assertions that he was not involved.

It is the strongest assessment to date linking Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler to the killing, and complicates Donald Trump’s efforts to safeguard US ties with one of the closest American allies in the region.

The crown prince has denied any involvement or knowledge of the murder of Khashoggi, a contributing columnist for the Washington Post, on 2 October this year at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, which he visited to get a document for his upcoming marriage to his Turkish fiancee.

Before leaving for California on Saturday morning to tour an area ravaged by wildfires, Trump told reporters that the CIA had not briefed the White House yet. But he added that he was planning to speak with them during the flight. “As of this moment, we were told that he did not play a role, we’re gonna have to find out what they say,” Trump said.
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