Recording of Saudi Crown Prince Ordering Khashoggi’s Murder
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)
According to the Turkish broadsheet Hurriyet, the “CIA holds ‘smoking gun phone call’ (evidence) of Saudi crown prince” Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) ordering Jamal Khashoggi’s murder.
Hurriyet columnist Abdulkadir Selvi said MBS is heard, saying “silence Jamal Khashoggi as soon as possible,” adding:
If an international investigation is conducted into the murder, “more jaw-dropping evidence” will likely come out “as the CIA (likely has) more wiretapped phone calls (by MBS) at hand than the public knows about.”
An unnamed former State Department official minced no words, saying MBS’ direct responsibility for Khashoggi’s murder is “blindingly obvious” to virtually everyone in the international community.
No one but Trump and Saudi MBS loyalists disputes what’s indisputably clear.
If a smoking gun CIA intercept is confirmed as accurate, it’s clear proof about MBS’ responsibility for Khashoggi’s brutal murder, what’s been indisputable all along.
The 15-member hit team dispatched to Istanbul included Saudis close to the crown prince, including members of his security detail.
They and others sent either acted on his orders or were directed by other hit squad members following his order to kill Khashoggi.
The order for his murder came from the kingdom’s highest authority - de facto ruler MBS, no one else, what’s clear to the international community, the CIA, congressional members, and virtually everyone else familiar with what happened.
Covering for the crown prince, Trump turned truth on its head, saying the CIA “didn’t conclude. They did not come to a conclusion. They have feelings certain ways. They have not concluded, I don’t know if anyone’s going to be able to conclude the crown prince did it.”
False! According to the neocon/CIA-connected Washington Post, the NYT, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and other major media, Langley concluded with high confidence, after examining relevant evidence, that MBS bears full responsibility for ordering Khashoggi’s elimination.
Absolving him is all about Trump wanting no change in US/Saudi relations. It’s also about Trump family financial and other business dealings with the kingdom - likely what’s most important for him and slumlord son-in-law Jared Kushner.
There’s virtually always more to what goes on than meets the eye. It’s significant that the CIA refuted the White House and Riyadh in its conclusion about MBS’ murder - a major development, indicating no confidence in him, likely wanting him replaced.
According to media reports, Langley’s conclusion was based on agency intercepts of MBS’ communications ahead of Khashoggi’s murder, multiple calls by the hit team leader to one of his senior aides from Istanbul, one call saying “(t)ell your boss…the deed is done,” along with absolute crown prince authority, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, no one operating ad libitum.
Asked who should be held accountable for Khashoggi’s murder, Trump shamefully said “(m)aybe the world should be held accountable because the world is a very, very vicious place,” adding:
“I will tell you this. The crown prince hates (the killing) more than I do, and they have vehemently denied it…(A)t the top level, they say they did not commit this atrocity.”
“Till this happened, there were a lot of people saying a lot of good things about the crown prince.” The more Trump acts as his “bitch,” Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s damning characterization, the more he discredits himself - shilling for a despotic regime and its ruthless head instead of demanding accountability.
A Final Comment
On Friday, the Turkish language Sabah broadsheet said Saudi forensics/autopsy expert Dr. Salah Mohammed al-Tubaigy, one of the hit-team members, used injections and scalpels on his body before dismembering it, adding:
“Khashoggi’s body was undressed. Tubaigy drew blood from his veins and let it flow into the bathroom sink. It was also Tubaigy who dismembered the body.”
Coagulants were used to stop bleeding during the dismembering process. One of Turkey’s two revealed audio recordings of the murder included Tubaigy’s voice while in progress, saying “(w)hen I do this job, I listen to music.”
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