October 22, 2018
He ran social media for Saudi Arabia’s crown prince. (click here) He masterminded the arrest of hundreds of his country’s elite. He detained a Lebanese prime minister. And, according to two intelligence sources, he ran journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s brutal killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by giving orders over Skype.
Saud al-Qahtani, a top aide for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is one of the fall guys as Riyadh tries to stem international outrage at Khashoggi’s death. On Saturday, Saudi state media said King Salman had sacked Qahtani and four other officials over the killing carried out by a 15-man hit team....
The King is involved now since the restlessness over this murder is taking over the daily business of the kingdom. The King is deploying his own people and there won't be any hiding. The King is the Custodian of the Two Mosques and he is not going to deceive anyone.
From articles I am reading, the King and his son the Crowned Prince have made phone calls to Jamal Khashoggi's son. What is being stated is that King and his son apologized to Jamal Khashoggi's son for his death. The son graciously accepted their apology. It is unclear whether Jamal Khashoggi's son lives in Saudi Arabia.
King Salman
“The king started asking aides and MBS about it. (click here) MBS had to tell him and asked him to intervene when Khashoggi’s case became a global crisis,” this source said.
Since he acceded to the throne in January 2015, the king has given Crown Prince Mohammed, his favorite son, increasing authority to run Saudi Arabia. But the king’s latest intervention reflects growing disquiet among some members of the royal court about the crown prince’s fitness to govern, the five sources said.
The crown prince, 33, has implemented a series of high-profile social and economic reforms since his father’s accession, including ending a ban on women driving and opening cinemas in the conservative kingdom.
But he has also marginalized senior members of the royal family and consolidated control over Saudi’s security and intelligence agencies.
His reforms have been accompanied by a crackdown on dissent, a purge of top royals and businessmen on corruption charges, and a costly war in Yemen.
Khashoggi’s disappearance has further tarnished the crown prince’s reputation, deepening questions among Western allies and some Saudis about his leadership.
