Times of Islamabad

Saudi top intelligence official may be blamed for Khashoggi assassination: US media

Saudi top intelligence official may be blamed for Khashoggi assassination: US media

ISTANBUL – Saudi Arabia may blame a top intelligence official for thekilling of Jamal Khashoggi, *The New York Times*reportedlink.

The plan to assign blame to Maj Gen Ahmed al-Assiri, a high-ranking adviserto the crown prince, would be an extraordinary recognition of the magnitudeof international backlash to hit the kingdom since the disappearance of Mr.Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi dissident.

A resident of Virginia and contributor to The Washington Post, Mr Khashoggiwas last seen entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.

Blaming General Assiri could also provide a plausible explanation for theapparent killing and help deflect blame from the crown prince, who Americanintelligence agencies are increasingly convinced was behind Mr. Khashoggi’sdisappearance.