ISLAMABAD – Turkish officials have said they believe he was killed — aclaim Saudi Arabia has denied — with the controversy dealing a huge blowto the prince’s efforts to showcase a reform drive and burnish thekingdom’s image.
US media reported on Monday that the oil-rich kingdom is considering anadmission that Khashoggi died after an interrogation that went wrong duringan intended abduction.
The UN human rights chief called Tuesday for the lifting of the immunity ofofficials who might be involved in Khashoggi’s disappearance.
Due to the seriousness of the case “I believe the inviolability or immunityof the relevant premises and officials… should be waived immediately,”Michelle Bachelet said in a statement.
The investigators, who searched the premises for eight hours into Tuesdaymorning, took samples with them, including soil from the consulate garden,one official at the scene said.
Istanbul police are now also planning to search the nearby consul’sresidence, a diplomatic source said.
Trump’s comments came after a telephone conversation with King Salman,father of the crown prince, the first such talks since the crisis erupted.
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“Just spoke to the King of Saudi Arabia who denies any knowledge ofwhatever may have happened ‘to our Saudi Arabian citizen’,” Trump tweeted.
“The denial was very, very strong,” Trump told reporters. “It sounded to melike maybe these could have been rogue killers. Who knows?”
But CNN cited two sources as saying the Saudis are preparing a report thathis death resulted from a botched interrogation, while the Wall StreetJournal said the kingdom was weighing whether to say that rogue operativeskilled Khashoggi by mistake.
After his crunch talks in Riyadh Tuesday, Pompeo was expected in Turkey onWednesday to meet Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, the state-runAnadolu news agency said. – APP/AFP
