Saudi Arabia Nails the Kill on Khashoggi as Planned Murder, Says Turkey‑Fed Evidence
From Brawl to Blueprint: How the Narrative Shifted
Last Thursday, Riyadh flipped its script on the Khashoggi case. Instead of a chaotic scuffle, the Saudi prosecutor’s office declared the killing “premeditated”—thanks to a fat stack of evidence from Turkey. The move follows a series of dramatic updates that have roiled the international community, from the U.S. president’s damning cover‑up claims to a UN expert’s call for a worldwide probe.
Key Lines From the Saudi Side
- Premeditated, not impulsive: “Information from Turkish authorities shows the suspects acted with intent,” the public prosecutor, Sheikh Saud al‑Mojeb, told the state‑run Saudi Press Agency.
- Saudi officials now admit the piece was a “planned, extrajudicial execution”—a stark contrast to earlier claims that Khashoggi slipped out unscathed.
- Director of the CIA, Gina Haspel, briefed President Trump after a fact‑finding trip to Turkey, hinting that the truth is finally catching up.
Turkey’s Cold Truth and the Body Mystery
While Turkey’s foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu rocked his jaw at the question, “Where is the body?” insisting Riyadh still has a lot of unanswered questions. He urged that the family “must know” the victim’s final resting place, a detail still shrouded in secrecy.
The Fallout in the Business Realm
Future Investment Forum: “Davos in the Desert” Withholds its Sox
Even a three‑day investment Expo that aimed to showcase Saudi’s economic ambitions ended up being a sight‑seing of political fallout. Large‑name companies pulled out, and the energy minister Khalid al‑Falih praised the cease‑fire, saying “small‑scale investors have been calling us to apologise. Call to come.”
The Blame Game & Rights Groups
- UN’s Agnes Callamard calls for an international investigation.
- HRW’s Sarah Leah Whitson reports that Khashoggi’s eldest son, Salah, has finally been allowed to leave Saudi after a travel ban was lifted.
Family Dynamics & Public Reaction
The video of Salah shaking hands with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spread like wildfire, spurring rights activists to push for an immediate lift of the travel ban. The family has now flown to U.S., melding with other siblings already based there.
Deep‑Sentiment Note from Randa Slim
“Jamal’s family needs a safe space to mourn. The tragedy was the terrible trigger that finally nudged the Saudi authorities to grant them freedom to travel,” Slim told AFP.
What’s Next?
Riyadh still faces mounting pressure—both from skeptical governments and international press—to reveal the details that have been veiled for months:
- The identity of the commander who orchestrated the hit.
- The whereabouts of the body.
- Full transparency from the Saudi public prosecutor’s office.
Meanwhile, the rest of the global community watches vigilantly, hoping that the shadow over King Salman’s kingdom will lift, and that justice will, as promised, take center stage.
