18 Saudis Detained in Khashoggi Investigation

The hunt has been on for a "death squad" of assassins with extraordinary skill who abducted, tortured, and killed Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Countries around the world have been calling on Saudi Arabia to bring Khashoggi's killers to justice. Now, eighteen Saudi Arabia citizens have been detained for the murder of the Washington Post columnist, according to Saudi Arabia's state-run news agency.

Khashoggi was last seen retrieving some paperwork from the Saudi Arabia embassy in Istanbul on October 2nd. Surveillance cameras show the journalist entering the building. Nearby, a private jet has landed with at least 15 men sent to torture and kill Khashoggi. The death squad arrived at the embassy in Istanbul, but the same surveillance cameras that caught him entering the embassy were no longer functioning.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">After more than 2 weeks of denials, Saudi Arabia now says Jamal <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Khashoggi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Khashoggi</a> was killed in a fist fight in its Istanbul consulate. A 60-year-old man tried to take on over 2 dozen guys… <br> <br>Worst. <br> <br>Cover story. <br> <br>Ever. <br> <br>It needs a UN investigation: <a href="https://t.co/XAkWjqTSgf">https://t.co/XAkWjqTSgf</a> <a href="https://t.co/EeeRClrRI1">pic.twitter.com/EeeRClrRI1</a></p>&mdash; Andrew Stroehlein (@astroehlein) <a href="https://twitter.com/astroehlein/status/1053541970747056128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2018</a></blockquote>

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Related coverage: <a href="http://thegoldwater.com/news/39749-Member-Of-Khashoggi-Death-Squad-Dies-In-Suspicious-Car-Crash">Member Of Khashoggi Death Squad Dies In Suspicious Car Crash</a>

So far, initial investigations have found that Khashoggi had discussions with individuals who he met at the consulate. The discussion allegedly escalated into a fist fight that resulted in Khashoggi's death, according to Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor. The statement contradicts the reports which have been coming from Turkish news agencies who have cited a man who was close-by when the execution occurred.

The Turkish source said he heard the men take Khashoggi and place him on a table. The source's connection to the group, if any, is unclear but he was able to record the incident. Turkish media quoted the source as describing hearing the leader tell his cohorts they "may want to put on some headphones" as he pulled out a bone saw which was prepared in advance. No fistfight ends with a bone saw being broken out.

The source claimed Khashoggi was dragged from the Consul General's office at the Saudi consulate and onto a table in an adjoining study. The recording was taken by the source who captured the horrendous screams of the journalist as he was dismembered while he was still alive. The source said it took a total of seven minutes for Khashoggi to die and he said he only knew he had died because the screams had stopped.

Related coverage: <a href="http://thegoldwater.com/news/39566-Reports-Khashoggi-s-Death-Was-No-Interrogation-It-Was-A-Brutal-7-Min-Murder">Reports: Khashoggi's Death Was No Interrogation, It Was A Brutal 7-Min Murder</a>

The recording has been given to a handful of Turkish newspapers, but they have thus far declined to release it but do acknowledge its existence. Turkish government officials also obtained a copy of the recording and allegedly showed it to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his visit to the country, but his office denies that he heard the recording. A spokeswoman named Heather Nauert said "The secretary addressed this yesterday. He has not heard a tape."

When Pompeo was personally asked if he had received even a transcript of the recording, he replied, "I don't have anything on that." The evidence would seem to say otherwise since President Trump threatened "severe" consequences for Khashoggi's death. Saudi Arabia has been a close ally of the United States for many years, and the politics between the two countries are regularly strained.

According to the Turkish government, at least one of the suspects traveled to Istanbul for the purpose of meeting with Khashoggi. He was killed, and the suspects attempted to "conceal and cover" what happened. The Saudi Arabia journalist has been highly critical of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman and the Saudi government.

Related coverage: <a href="https://thegoldwater.com/news/39091-Trump-Spoke-to-KSA-about-Missing-Journalist-Images-of-Saudi-Hit-Squad-Surface">Trump Spoke to KSA about Missing Journalist, Images of Saudi Hit Squad Surface</a>

The White House acknowledged the version of events laid out by Saudi officials and stated it would "continue to closely follow the international investigations into this tragic incident and advocate for justice that is timely, transparent, and in accordance with all due process." White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders added, "We are saddened to hear confirmation of Mr. Khashoggi’s death, and we offer our deepest condolences to his family, fiancée, and friends."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">First we were told Mr. Khashoggi supposedly left the consulate and there was blanket denial of any Saudi involvement. Now, a fight breaks out and he’s killed in the consulate, all without knowledge of Crown Prince.</p>&mdash; Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LindseyGrahamSC/status/1053422592726650881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2018</a></blockquote>

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A strong supporter of Trump, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, posted a tweet saying he was skeptical of the Saudi narrative. Graham said in a tweet, "To say that I am skeptical of the new Saudi narrative about Mr. Khashoggi is an understatement. First, we were told Mr. Khashoggi supposedly left the consulate, and there was a blanket denial of any Saudi involvement. Now, a fight breaks out and he’s killed in the consulate, all without the knowledge of Crown Prince."

Sen. Graham is far from the only Senator who expressed disbelief in the Saudi's explanation of Khashoggi's death. His skepticism stretched across the isles as others came forward from both parties to decry the Saudi's explanation of Kashoggi's death. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) also expressed their skepticism about the official narrative offered by the Saudis.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sen. <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisCoons?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChrisCoons</a> (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, blasted the Saudi statement about the death of Jamal <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Khashoggi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Khashoggi</a> and called for a classified briefing on the case. <a href="https://t.co/ou1qq4HKdH">https://t.co/ou1qq4HKdH</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ic0QInuj8U">pic.twitter.com/Ic0QInuj8U</a></p>&mdash; Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/1053563061343305728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2018</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenBobCorker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenBobCorker</a> (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, dismissed the Saudi explanation for Jamal Khashoggi’s death. <a href="https://t.co/l5rV90fG6N">https://t.co/l5rV90fG6N</a> <a href="https://t.co/Fx2tWdF17i">pic.twitter.com/Fx2tWdF17i</a></p>&mdash; Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/1053584609840005120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2018</a></blockquote>

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Source: https://abcnews.go.com/International/18-saudi-citizens-detained-connection-murder-journalist-jamal/story?id=58624279