Breaking news on the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi where for the first time Saudi Arabia is admitting that he’s dead and arrests have been made:
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi state-run news agency quotes prosecutors as saying 18 Saudis held as suspects in Jamal Khasoggi's death.
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) October 19, 2018
According to reports, the Saudis are saying Khashoggi died in a fist fight at the consulate:
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi state-run news agency quotes prosecutors as saying that Jamal Khashoggi was killed in Saudi Consulate in a fight.
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) October 19, 2018
CNN reporting that Saudi Arabia government is now acknowledging the death of Jamal Khashoggi, has detained 18 Saudis, calling it a "fist fight" gone bad, no word on how he died or where is the body.
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) October 19, 2018
“a fistfight that led to his death.”
That does not sound plausiblehttps://t.co/PeBLzvS3ii— Michael Barbaro (@mikiebarb) October 19, 2018
He was kung-fu fighting?
THEY'RE SAYING HE FOUGHT 18 GUYS. He was a journalist. Not freaking Bruce Lee. pic.twitter.com/HOvc3yKzfe
— XENI (@xeni) October 19, 2018
We’re not sure what to believe on this, but this might not be the cover-up it looks like:
The removal of two top officials, a cabinet ranking, very powerful and close advisor of MBS and the Deputy Head of Foreign intelligence + 4 other Generals in foreign intelligence (virtually its whole top leadership) cannot be written off as a cover up. This is unprecedented.
— Ali Shihabi (@aliShihabi) October 19, 2018
This is not saying "rogue killers" but implicating virtually the whole top leadership of foreign intelligence. They carried out a mission that went sour very quickly and tried to cover it up initially. Bad news travels slowly to the top.
— Ali Shihabi (@aliShihabi) October 19, 2018
The details of what happened at consulate are vague but I understand more details will come out this weekend.
— Ali Shihabi (@aliShihabi) October 19, 2018
And there’s a chance the English-speaking media had flubbed the translation:
IMPORTANT: I understand from a senior Saudi source that Jamal Khashoggi died from a chokehold during a physical altercation, not a fist fight which was mistranslated by foreign media.
— Ali Shihabi (@aliShihabi) October 19, 2018
But either way: Why’d they cut him up?
Do fist fights routinely involve bone saws and I just hadn't known that? No? https://t.co/qMjf7mrn0h
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) October 19, 2018
To sum things up:
17 days after #Khashoggi’s disappearance, Saudis ackowledged his death:
• Crown Prince MbS said he left the Consulate
• Saudis for days dismissed it
• Didn’t permit police search for 2 weeks
• Painted the crime scene, got cleaners insideAnd now? “Died in a fist fight”
— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) October 19, 2018
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Related:
Whoops! NYT's Nick Kristof calls out Mike Pompeo for statement on Saudis and Jamal Khashoggi, trips hard over himself https://t.co/XlsP0reKHJ
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 17, 2018
Angry New York Times columnist badly burned by Sean Davis tweet about Saudi Arabia connections https://t.co/fAqxQRAwhF
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 13, 2018
OUT: Russia owns Trump!; IN: Saudi Arabia owns Trump! https://t.co/J2puaREEbA
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 13, 2018
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