CIA concludes Saudi crown prince ordered journalist's killing

World

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The CIA believes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, complicating President Donald Trump’s efforts to preserve ties with a key U.S. ally.

The sources said the CIA had briefed other parts of the U.S. government, including Congress, on its assessment, which contradicts Saudi government assertions that Prince Mohammed was not involved.

The CIA’s finding, first reported by the Washington Post, is the most definitive U.S. assessment to date tying Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler directly to the killing.

Both the White House and the State Department declined to comment.

“The claims in this purported assessment is false,” a spokeswoman for the Saudi Embassy in Washington said in a statement. “We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations.”

Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government and a columnist for the Washington Post, was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 when he went there to pick up documents he needed for his planned marriage to a Turkish woman.

Comments

Still No Comments Posted.

Leave Comments

Most Reviews

May 31, 2025

- 461 - 0

Flt Lt Kasun Cumaratunga , more than a pilot, a guardian remembered on his 37th death anniversary

Kasun, was born in 28th Sept 1964, the grandson of the legendary author and linguist Munidasa Cumaratunga and son of SSP Bindu Kumaratunga and Winifred

June 2, 2025

- 427 - 0

National Tax week launched

The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) backed by the Excise and Customs Department today launched a fresh drive to collect taxes including some Rs.780 billion listed as ‘collectable defaults’.

June 2, 2025

- 330 - 0

SriLankan Airlines’ new A330 Fleet to perform low fly past over Colombo on Wed.

May 29, 2025

- 250 - 0

Mahindananda and Nalin Fernando Jailed

Former Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and former Sathosa Chairman Nalin Fernando have sentenced to 20 and 25 years respectively after they were found guilty in a case of fraud.

May 30, 2025

- 247 - 0

In Pix: Weather situation in Colombo

June 3, 2025

- 173 - 0

Krishanthi Kumaraswami convicts FR dismissed by SC

The Supreme Court today unanimously dismissed a Fundamental Rights petition filed by five convicts in the 1996 Krishanthi Kumaraswamy abduction, rape, and murder case.