Saudi Arabia preparing to admit Khashoggi was killed, say sources

Report likely to state journalist was killed in interrogation gone wrong

WASHINGTON: Saudi Arabia is preparing a report that would admit Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed as the result of an interrogation that went wrong, CNN reported on Monday, citing two unnamed sources.



One source cautioned that the report was still being prepared and could change, CNN said. The other source said the report would likely conclude that the operation was carried out without clearance and that those involved will be held responsible, the cable news outlet said.

“If this was an operation that involved an abduction or interrogation,” the Saudis “should explain,” says Bernard Haykel, who often speaks with MBS. “I don’t believe the Saudis would have tried to kill or murder a journalist or a dissident, even.” #JamalKhashoggi pic.twitter.com/BCi0RD7qjn

— Christiane Amanpour (@amanpour) October 15, 2018

Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump said had said that “rogue killers” could be to blame for the disappearance of a dissident Saudi journalist and said that the oil-rich state’s monarch emphatically denies involvement.

President Trump says that King Salman denied having any knowledge of what happened to Jamal Khashoggi, adding Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is leaving for Saudi Arabia “within an hour or so” https://t.co/FQGjADcimM pic.twitter.com/PTnkrn8HNc

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 15, 2018

“The denial was very, very strong,” Trump told reporters at the White House after talking to King Salman by telephone. “It sounded to me like maybe these could have been rogue killers. Who knows?”

Journalists at Saudi consulate in Istanbul spotting cleaners coming into building just before Turkish investigators are scheduled to arrive to probe Jamal Khashoggi disappearance (via APTN feed) pic.twitter.com/iAAjM0PpGu

— Borzou Daragahi 🖊🗒 (@borzou) October 15, 2018

“All I can do is report what he told me. He told me in a very firm way that they had no knowledge of it. He said it very strongly,” Trump said.

President Trump suggested earlier today that "rogue killers" could be behind the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, after a phone call with Saudi Arabia's King Salman over the case https://t.co/NwTB7ZeL3p pic.twitter.com/pfBdb6wAL2

— CNN International (@cnni) October 15, 2018

Trump said that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was on his way to Saudi Arabia within the hour to discuss the controversy over journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a contributor to The Washington Post and critic of powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.