Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent at least 11 messages to his closest adviser, who reportedly oversaw the operatives who killed columnist Jamal Khashoggi, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.
The Journal said on Saturday it had reviewed excerpts of an intelligence file that was classified as “highly confidential”, which cites electronic intercepts and other covert information between Prince Mohammed and his aide, Saud al-Qahtani.
However, the content of the messages between the two parties is unknown.
“To be clear, we lack direct reports that the crown prince issued the order of murder,” the assessment notes, according to the Journal.
The assessment reports that Qahtani, who supervised the 15-man team that killed Khashoggi, was also in direct communication with the team’s leader in Istanbul.
MBS is reported to have told associates in August last year that if efforts failed to persuade Khashoggi, an outspoken critic of the crown prince, to return to Saudi Arabia, he would be lured somewhere else.
Presenter: Richelle Carey
Guests:
Imadaldin al-Jubouri – writer and academic
Ahmed Al-Burai – writer, Middle East Eye and Daily Sabah
Jacob Parakilas – deputy head, US and the Americas Programme at Chatham House
Source: Al Jazeera News
