US slaps sanctions on elite Saudi unit over Jamal Khashoggi murder

 The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on dozens of Saudi officials accused of killing journalist Jamal Khashoggi in a consulate in Istanbul, Turkey more than two years ago.

The decision announced by Secretary of State Antony Blinken followed the publication of a four-page intelligence report that confirmed “high confidence” the killing was approved by Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman.

Mr Blinken said 76 Saudi senior officials believed to have been involved in “threatening dissidents overseas, including but not limited to the Khashoggi killing” will not be allowed to set foot on US soil in the latest whip on Saudi Arabia.

“The murder of a journalist and US lawful permanent resident Jamal Khashoggi shocked the world. Starting today, we have a new global policy bearing his name to impose visa restrictions on those who engage in extra-territorial attacks on journalists and activists,” he said.

Visa ban

The actual list of those on the visa ban was not indicated, but it is presumed it includes the 15-member team of security officials said to have murdered Khashoggi, as well as other officials with close ranks to the Crown Prince.

The report, initially classified by the Trump administration, was published on Friday in what could be President Joe Biden’s latest indication that he will not side with the Saudi leadership accused of rights violations.

The document says Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, the de facto leader of the Kingdom, was responsible for approving Khashoggi’s assassination.

Titled ‘Assessing the Saudi Government’s Role in the Killing of Jamal Khashoggi’, the intelligence team said “Saudi Arabia’s Crown prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill journalist Jamal Khashoggi.”

 The assessment was based on Salman’s control of decision making in the kingdom. Since 2017, the Crown Prince has been the de facto leader of government, controlling operations of security teams as well as other sensitive activities.

On Khashoggi’s murder, his advisor was personally involved as well as members of his protective detail, giving an indication that he sanctioned the operation. The Crown Prince was also supportive “for using violent measures to silence dissidents abroad, including Khashoggi.”

Footage

While it is unclear whether the Crown Prince wanted Khashoggi dead, the report said the 15-member team could not question or appear to fail in an operation he had sanctioned.

“…it was highly unlikely that officials carried out the operation without his authorisation.”

Khashoggi disappeared on October 2, 2018 after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to process his marriage papers. His would-be wife waited outside, according to security footage initially published by the Turkish intelligence team.

The Turkish government had already fingered the Saudi government while Riyadh later announced the conviction of a number of officials said to have had a hand in the murder. The names were, however, not published.

The 15-member security team arrived in Istanbul on a chartered flight on October 2, 2018, the day Khashoggi disappeared. The team included Salman’s personal protective detail known as the Rapid Intervention Force.

The report contains 21 names including Saudi Al-Qhatani who led the Saudi Centre for Studies and Media Affairs at the Royal Court and advisor to the Crown Prince. The 15-member team included officials that worked for the centre.

Khashoggi was a columnist for the Washington Post and had valid residential status in the US.