ZCZC
BFF-35
TURKEY-SAUDI-DIPLOMACY-CRIME-PROSECUTION LEAD
Khashoggi killers ‘will be prosecuted in Saudi Arabia’: Saudi FM
MANAMA, Oct 27, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Saudi Arabia will prosecute the suspects
in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Riyadh’s foreign minister said
Saturday in response to a call by Turkey for their extradition.
“On the issue of extradition, the individuals are Saudi nationals. They’re
detained in Saudi Arabia, and the investigation is in Saudi Arabia, and they
will be prosecuted in Saudi Arabia,” Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said at
a regional defence forum in the Bahraini capital.
Jubeir’s comments come the day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan called for the extradition of 18 Saudi nationals authorities say were
involved in the murder of Khashoggi, a Saudi government critic killed in his
country’s consulate in Istanbul this month.
After denying knowledge of Khashoggi’s whereabouts for nearly three weeks,
Riyadh admitted Khashoggi’s murder had been “premeditated” but denied the
involvement of the kingdom’s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“We will overcome it,” Jubeir told the defence forum.
“The issue, as I said, is being investigated. We will know the truth. We
will hold those responsible accountable. And we will put in place mechanisms
to ensure it doesn’t happen again.”
Once an insider in Saudi royal circles, Khashoggi fell out of favour with
the monarchy after Mohammed bin Salman was named heir to the throne last
year.
The columnist went into self-imposed exile in the United States, where he
wrote a column for The Washington Post, which was often critical of the crown
prince.
Khashoggi was least seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on
October 2 to complete paperwork for his wedding to his Turkish fiancee,
Hatice Cengiz.
She has demanded punishment of everyone involved in his murder “from the
highest to the lowest levels.”
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1448 hrs