The Biden administration has released the US intelligence report on the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. The report indicts Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman for ordering the operation to capture or kill the Saudi journalist.
According to the report’s executive summary; it states that Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved the operation in Istanbul, Turkey that eventually led to the death of Jamal Khashoggi.
The report notes that Prince bin Salman has “absolute control” of the Saudi intelligence and security operations. It further states that the Crown Prince’s control of decision-making in the Kingdom, the direct involvement of a key adviser and members of Muhammad bin Salman’s protective detail in the operation, were all evidence of the Prince’s complicity and the Crown Prince’s support for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad was also a problem.
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This is a win for the Biden administration especially because as a candidate in the Nov. 3rd US elections, Biden said Khashoggi was murdered “on the order of the crown prince” and that the country should be treated like “the pariah that they are.”
They are also indications from the State Department spokesperson the administration might be working on potential punishments/sanctions for the Saudi government.