The president of the United States Donald Trump has for the first time admitted on Thursday 18 October that the journalist in saudi disappeared Jamal Khashoggi was very probably dead, threatening Riyadh “very serious” consequences if liability was confirmed. “This seems to me to be the case. It is very sad, ” said Mr. Trump, when asked about the possible death of this journalist, missing since he went to the saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October. “This is bad, very bad,” he added. These statements mark a clear change of tone on the part of the tenant of the White House.
These last days, he had opted for a stance less clear-cut and had the enormous strategic interests in linking his country to the kingdom sunni, citing the fight against terrorism, the need to counter the influence of shiite Iran, but also the contracts of armament and their economic effects.
also Read : Case Khashoggi : the diplomacy of the cynicism of Donald Trump
The United States, however, have decided to grant an additional period to saudi Arabia to explain the disappearance of this journalist, known for his outspokenness, who was in exile in the United States in 2017, after falling into disgrace at the court of the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. “We need to give them a few more days to complete (the investigations) so that we have a good understanding of the facts “, said the head of american diplomacy Mike Pompeo, returned from a trip to Riyadh.
New images
A little earlier in the day, the us treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, had announced that it does not make for an economic conference held in Riyadh and was boycotted by a growing number of politicians, including the French minister of the economy Bruno Le Maire.
According to the New York Times, the saudi monarchy planning to do to wear the hat of the matter Khashoggi to a senior officer of the intelligence service, general Ahmed Assiri, who is also a councillor of ” MBS “, the nickname of the prince heir.
The publication of new images from the cctv cameras showing the movements in Istanbul of an officer of the security services close to the crown prince of saudi arabia has yet to go up a notch the pressure on Riyadh.
The man in question, Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb, which had been identified by the Turkish authorities as a member of a team of 15 agents sent to Riyadh for “murder” of the journalist, is part of the entourage of ” MBS “, according to the New York Times.
also Read : In saudi Arabia, the crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman in the hurricane Khashoggi
The Turkish press, claiming to be based on sound recordings carried out on the spot, was already released on Wednesday, new information is overwhelming, according to which Jamal Khashoggi would have been tortured and murdered in the consulate from the day of her disappearance.
Investigation of the UN ?
The Washington Post published Wednesday what it presents as the last contribution of Jamal Khashoggi, a text in which the journalist discusses the lack of freedom of the press in the arab world. “Unfortunately, this situation is not likely to change,” complains the journalist in this forum be forwarded to the daily by his translator in the aftermath of his disappearance.
Read also : “The arab world faces its own iron curtain” : the last tribune reporter to saudi Jamal Khashoggi
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to protect journalists, have called on Turkey to seek a UN investigation on the case of Khashoggi. “The involvement of the united Nations is the best guarantee against a money laundering saudi arabian or against attempts of other governments to ignore the problem in order to preserve commercial relations profit with Riyadh,” said Robert Mahoney, deputy executive director of the Committee to protect journalists, in a press release.
” given the possible involvement of the saudi authorities in the forced disappearance of Khashoggi and his assassination, as well as the lack of independence of the criminal justice system of saudi arabia, the impartiality of any investigation carried out by the saudi arabian authorities would be called into question “, adds the press release.
The public prosecutor of Istanbul has published on Thursday a text saying that he would inform the public of the progress of the investigation ” – in case of need “.
