Chris Stevenson – Independent
The Trump administration has sanctioned 17 Saudi nationals over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Riyadh’s consulate in Istanbul.
The sanctions will be implemented by the Treasury Department under the Global Magnitsky Act, which relates to actions by foreigners outside of the US that threaten international stability.
“The Saudi officials we are sanctioning were involved in the abhorrent killing of Jamal Khashoggi,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
“The United States continues to diligently work to ascertain all of the facts and will hold accountable each of those we find responsible in order to achieve justice for Mr Khashoggi’s fiancée, children, and the family he leaves behind,” Mr Mnuchin added.
The sanctions do not target the Riyadh government, an important U.S. security and economic ally and also allows President Donald Trump’s administration to stop short of any action that could affect US arms deals with Saudi Arabia worth billions of
The individuals sanctioned include those who were part of the team of Saudis who arrived in Istanbul in the hours around Mr Khashoggi’s arrival at the consulate on 2 October and his subsequent disappearance.
Those to be sanctioned include Saud al-Qahtani, a former top aide to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as the Saudi Consul General Mohammed Alotaibi,
Among others facing sanctions are Maher Mutreb, an aide to Qahtani who has appeared in photographs with the crown prince on official visits this year to the United States and Europe.
The announcement comes hours after the Saudi public prosecutor said it was seeking the death penalty for five suspects charged in the murder of Mr Khashoggi.
Mr Khashoggi, an insider turned critic of the Saudi royal family was killed after a struggle, by lethal injection, deputy public prosecutor and spokesman Shalaan al-Shalaan said.
Mr Shalaan said that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman knew nothing of the operation, in which Mr Khashoggi’s body was dismembered, removed from the building and handed over to an unidentified “local cooperator”.
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The whereabouts of Khashoggi’s remains are unknown, he said. His family is planning a weekend prayer service without his body.
Turkey, who have alleged the murder was carried out by a 15-man Saudi “hit squad,” reacted with scepticism to the latest announcement from Riyadh having led a global wave of outcry over the killing.
Mr Shalaan said Mr Khashoggi was murdered after “negotiations” for his return to the kingdom failed, and that the killing was ordered by the lead negotiator after he decided it was unfeasible to remove him from the consulate.
Mr Shalaan said the order to repatriate Mr Khashoggi came from former deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Asiri, who was sacked last month.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the measures announced by Saudi Arabia were “positive but insufficient”, and repeated Ankara’s demand that the 15-man team be tried in Turkey.