After CIA Briefing, U.S. Senators Believe Saudi Crown Prince Involved In Murder Of Journalist Jamal Khashoggi

Following a briefing by CIA chief Gina Haspel, members of the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Foreign Relations conveyed with “high confidence” that Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman played a key role in the October 2 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. After initially denying any involvement, the House of Saud blamed Khashoggi’s murder on “rogue” operatives and maneuvered diplomatically to insulate bin Salman from the ensuing global backlash. While President Donald Trump has thrown the young Saudi ruler a short lifeline, congressional leaders increasingly are calling for punitive measures. For her part, Haspel is believed to have heard a recording of Khashoggi’s murder and on Tuesday likely shared the details with lawmakers. The CIA also reportedly intercepted numerous communications between bin Salman and the leader of the Saudi hit squad on the same day that Khashoggi disappeared. Accordingly, Senator Lindsey Graham launched a blistering attack on the crown prince, describing him as “crazy” and asserting that “there is not a smoking gun—there is a smoking saw,” a reference to Khashoggi’s alleged dismemberment. Republican counterpart Bob Corker added that, “if [bin Salman] was in front of a jury, he would be convicted in 30 minutes: Guilty.” The Senate is expected to vote soon on a bi-partisan proposal to end American military support to the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen. Additionally, there is a push within the Republican-led chamber to suspend arms sales to Riyadh, setting up a possible showdown with President Trump who vehemently opposes such a move.