Turkey has just identified four suspects in what is believed to be the gruesome and intentional, state-sponsored murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Turkish officials appear to be making the case that Saudi Arabia ordered Khashoggi’s murder.
And as it turns out, these suspects are linked to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who is seen as a friend of Trump son-in-law and Senior White House Advisor Jared Kushner. Others say the relationship is one-way, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) saying Kushner was “in his pocket.”
“One of the suspects identified by Turkey in the disappearance of the Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi was a frequent companion of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — seen disembarking from airplanes with him in Paris and Madrid and photographed standing guard during his visits this year to Houston, Boston and the United Nations,” The New York Times reports.
“Three others are linked by witnesses and other records to the Saudi crown prince’s security detail.”
President Trump late Tuesday afternoon in an interview with the Associated Press railed against the lack of due process in the case.
“Here we go again with you know you’re guilty until proven innocent,” Trump said, comparing the attacks on the Saudi Crown Prince and King Salman to those against his Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh.
President Trump earlier in the day defended King Salman, saying he steadfastly denied having anything to do with Khashoggi’s disappearance, or, presumably, his death.
But widespread reports from Turkish officials say a 15-man hit squad was waiting for Khashoggi when he entered the Saudi consulate. It is believed he was tortured and killed, or killed immediately, and his body was dismembered.
If all of this proves to be true, President Trump is using the reputation and good name of America to defend the state-sanctioned murder of a well-respected journalist who was a U.S. permanent resident, in a murder by a nation that has, according to The New York Times, “been accused of underwriting extremists,” and according to others, “is the top sponsor of terrorism in U.K.,” “is the biggest state sponsor of terrorism in the world,” and has been described as “a funding source for Islamist jihadis.”
Image of Jamal Khashoggi by April Brady/Project on Middle East Democracy via Flickr and a CC license