US senator: Saudi Crown Prince behind Khashoggi death

Leading Republican US senator Bob Corker said on Sunday he believed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman was responsible for the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and Riyadh has lost all credibility in their explanations of his death.

"Yes, I think he did it," Senator Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in an interview with CNN's "State of the Union".

Corker stated that he believes there should be a global response to hold bin Salman accountable if it's determined he directed the killing of Khashoggi.

"If the crown prince has gone forth and murdered this journalist, he’s now crossed the line," Corker stressed, adding that "I’m not rushing to judgment. Do I think he did it? Yes, I think he did it".

The senator said he's heard from ambassadors in other Western countries who want to coordinate a response to Saudi Arabia on Khashoggi's death, noting that the United States is not the only country with business interests in Saudi Arabia.

"So this is something where I think you’re going to see the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany working collectively with others, if he did this, to respond in an appropriate way," he added.

After two weeks of denial by Saudi officials, Riyadh confessed that Khashoggi was murdered in the Turkish city of Istanbul. Saudi Arabia also sacked a top general and arrested several people over the case.
Senator Corker on Friday night called on the Donald Trump administration to draw its conclusions on the death of Khashoggi inside Saudi consulate in Turkish city of Istanbul.

“The story the Saudis have told about Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance continues to change with each passing day, so we should not assume their latest story holds water,” Corker said in a statement.
The senator added that while the Saudi government can conduct an investigation, the US administration "must make its own independent, credible determination of responsibility" for the killing of The Washington Post contributor after senators triggered a probe last week.

A group of Republican and Democrat senators united to demand an investigation into the disappearance of Khashoggi, which could lead to sanctions against Saudi Arabia within 120 days. 

US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham also said Friday night that he was not convinced by Saudi Arabia’s findings on the death of the journalist, saying it was an “understatement” to say he was skeptical.

EA