10/16/18: Detective Donald is leaving no pebble unturned in his investigation of the disappearance of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi. First, he sends Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Riyadh, to meet with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – the latter suspected by most of the world to have ordered the killing. Pompeo spends most of his time on camera seated beside the prince, grinning like some rube who just met a Victoria’s Secret model.
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In Saudi Arabia, all newspapers are “pro-government.” It’s as
if all American media outlets were Fox News.
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Well, Detective Don can’t be fooled. He’s famous for cracking the Putin case and proving NO COLLUSION!
He calls the Crown Prince on the phone. The Crown Prince says he didn’t have anything to do with the alleged killing. Detective Don, who has the resources of the entire American intelligence-gathering community at his beck and call, seems satisfied. In other words, it’s time to tweet!
Unfortunately, Detective Don can’t get a moment’s rest. Reporters at assorted “Fake News” outlets go digging for evidence and uncover details that the government of Saudi Arabia would like to keep buried.
Sorry, poor word choice.
Don decides he must comment publicly. It’s sad that people
are blaming the Saudis, just because a journalist walked into their consulate
two weeks ago and has not been seen since. “Here we go again with,
you know, you’re guilty until proven innocent [emphasis added],”
Detective Don grouses. “I don’t like. We just went through
that with Justice Kavanaugh and he was innocent all the way as far as I’m
concerned. So we have to find out what happened.” (See: 9/30-10/2/18.)
Okay, what do we know? On one side, King Salman and the Crown Prince deny any involvement in whatever happened. And you can’t fool Don. He believes them. “Innocent until proven guilty” has always been his mantra – which is why he enjoys it when crowds at rallies shout, “Lock him/her up!” in reference to rival politicians who have never been tried or sentenced.
We know Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate on September 28 to get documents necessary to marry his fiancĂ©e. Officials told him to return October 2 to pick up paperwork. Khashoggi did. That’s the last time he was seen. The Saudis denied any knowledge of what might have happened. They insisted he left the consulate of his own free will, soon after. Maybe he tripped over a rosebush after leaving.
The Turkish government wasn’t buying. They announced they had proof Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate and his body sliced up like flank steak.
The Turks produced video of two Saudi planes landing in Istanbul on the day Khashoggi disappeared. Fifteen Saudis debark. They include “Saudi special forces officers, intelligence officials, national guards and a forensics expert.” They head for the consulate. Who knows? Maybe they are going to try to catch some “rogue actors” who might want to harm the journalist. (See: 10/15/18.)
The Turks provide evidence to show that the same 15 Saudis depart later that day, but fly in two directions, one plane landing in Dubai and then flying on to Riyadh. The other goes by way of Cairo, then to Riyadh.
Remember: We don’t want to think these people are “guilty until proven innocent!” Still, there are reports that Khashoggi managed to record his interrogation and murder on an Apple watch he owned.
On October 9, The New York Times runs a story, citing an unnamed Turkish official. Khashoggi was killed and cut up within two hours of arrival at the consulate. “It’s like Pulp Fiction, he says.” The Times notes that Saudi officials, including the Crown Prince, insist the reporter left the building shortly after arrival. He was just happy to have those marriage documents.
Oh, boy! Next, the honeymoon!
On October 10, Sabah, a Turkish paper, posts airport and customs videos and photos of all fifteen Saudis entering the country. One is a forensic doctor who specializes in autopsies. Among other items in his baggage he’s carrying a bone saw.
Caught with their thawbs half down, the Saudis do some serious alibiing. First, they claim the consulate cameras, which show Khashoggi entering, are a “live feed” and don’t record. Robert W. Jordan, a former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia under President George W. Bush, takes a giant step down the “guilty until proven innocent” road. “Their explanation that their closed-circuit TV is only a live feed and not recording makes no sense at all and would be absurd in terms of security tradecraft.” It is “95 percent certain” that the Saudis bumped off the reporter, he says.
On October 16, with Detective Don already swallowing Saudi excuses,
and Pompeo having enjoyed a grinfest with the Crown Prince, the Washington Post starts to pin down the roles of the fifteen Saudi travelers and
their ties to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Khalid Aedh Alotaibi is a
member of the Saudi Royal Guard. He often flies to the United States when the Crown Prince or other members of
the royal family come for a visit. Seven others appear to have
identified themselves on social media as Saudi security agents. Several appear
to be members of the Royal Guard or employees of the Royal Palace. Naif Hassan
S. Alarifi and Saif Saad Q. Alqahtani are reportedly “even closer to the royal
family, specifically as employees of the ‘Crown Prince office.’”
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King Salman, left. |
For some odd reason, and despite repeated requests from the Post, the Saudi Embassy in Washington declines to comment. The fifteen men have been described in pro-government Saudi newspapers as “tourists.”
In Saudi Arabia, all newspapers are “pro-government.” It’s as if all American media outlets were Fox News.
Journalists keep digging. Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb, another member of the alleged hit squad, shows up in photos on numerous occasions, getting off planes with the Crown Prince, walking behind the Crown Prince, hanging around as the Crown Prince talks to a lady in Houston or shakes hands in Boston.
Finally, the Post explains:
Among the most prominent names
on the Saudi team list is Salah Muhammed al-Tubaigy, a forensic expert known
for pioneering rapid and mobile autopsies, who flew into Istanbul shortly after
Khashoggi entered the Saudi Consulate and flew out nine hours later, Turkish
officials say.
In closing, reporters note: “Tubaigy has not responded to email and phone messages left at three numbers associated with the profile he had set up on an Arabic subscription phone app.”
When we take all this evidence together, we can see exactly why Detective Don is so ready to accept the Saudi’s explanation when they say they had nothing to do with the killing. If there was a killing, that is.
So far, the Saudis haven’t admitted there was.
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