Who are the 15 Saudis who came to Turkey ahead of Khashoggi's killing?

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia has detained 18 people and pushed aside five senior government officials as part of an investigation into the loss of life of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of Saudi policies, disappeared after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October.2 to acquire paperwork for his marriage.

Saudi Arabia initially denied wisdom of his destiny. Then, on Saturday, its public prosecutor mentioned he have been killed in a combat in the consulate, a proof that has drawn world scepticism.

Turkish security sources say that once Khashoggi entered the consulate, he used to be seized by means of 15 Saudi intelligence operatives who had flown in on two jets just hours ahead of.

A senior Saudi reputable confirmed to Reuters they were a few of the 18 Saudis detained, along with 3 native suspects.

Most of the 15 worked in the Saudi military or security and intelligence products and services, including on the royal courtroom, consistent with Saudi and Turkish officials and a number of other sources with ties to the royal courtroom.

Turkey’s pro-government Sabah newspaper published what it mentioned were images of the men taken from surveillance pictures on the airport, two inns they briefly checked into, the consulate and the consul’s place of dwelling.

The following profiles of some of those detained or pushed aside are according to those images, Saudi media reviews and data from Saudi officials and sources.

SAUD Al-QAHTANI

Saud al-Qahtani, 40, observed because the right-hand man to Prince Mohammed, used to be got rid of as a royal courtroom adviser and is the highest-profile determine implicated in the incident.

Qahtani entered the royal courtroom beneath the overdue King Abdullah. He rose to prominence as a confidante in Prince Mohammed’s secretive inner circle. He regularly spoke on behalf of the crown prince, known as MbS, and has given direct orders to senior officials including in the security equipment, the sources with ties to the royal courtroom mentioned.

Tasked with countering alleged Qatari influence on social media, Qahtani used Twitter to attack criticism of the dominion in general and Prince Mohammed particularly. He also used Twitter to attack critics and ran a WhatsApp team with native newspaper editors, dictating the royal courtroom line.


Qahtani had attempted to trap Khashoggi again to Saudi Arabia after he moved to Washington a year ago fearing reprisals for his views, consistent with people with regards to the journalist and the government.

In an August 2017 Twitter thread asking his 1.35 million fans to flag accounts for a black list for monitoring, Qahtani wrote: “Do you suppose I make choices without steerage? I'm an employee and a devoted executor of the orders of my lord the king and my lord the devoted crown prince.”

The senior Saudi reputable mentioned Qahtani had licensed one in every of his subordinates, Maher Mutreb, to behavior what he mentioned used to be supposed to be a negotiation for Khashoggi’s go back to the dominion. Qahtani also supplied Mutreb with unspecified information according to his previous conversations with Khashoggi, the reputable mentioned.

Qahtani did not respond to questions from Reuters. Reuters used to be no longer in a position to succeed in Mutreb for remark.

MAHER MUTREB

General Maher Mutreb, an aide to Qahtani for information security, used to be the lead negotiator within the consulate, consistent with the senior Saudi reputable. He is a senior intelligence officer and part of Prince Mohammed’s security staff. He appeared in images with the crown prince on reputable visits this year to the United States and Europe.

According to the Saudi reputable, Mutreb used to be selected for the Istanbul operation as a result of he already knew Khashoggi from their time operating together on the Saudi embassy in London.

“He knew Jamal very well and he used to be the most productive one to persuade him to return,” the reputable mentioned.

Mutreb gained Khashoggi on the Saudi consul’s place of work round 1:25pm. He started urging him to come house and claimed he used to be wanted by means of Interpol, the reputable mentioned.

The reputable mentioned Khashoggi advised Mutreb he used to be violating diplomatic norms and asked whether or not Mutreb planned to kidnap him. Mutreb mentioned sure, the reputable mentioned, in an apparent try to intimidate Khashoggi.

Sabah newspaper published stills from surveillance cameras that seem to show Mutreb entering the consulate 3 hours ahead of Khashoggi, and later outside the consul’s place of dwelling.

Britain’s Foreign Office confirmed that Mutreb served as a primary secretary for a period including 2007.

SALAH TUBAIGY

Salah Tubaigy is a forensic expert on the Saudi Ministry of Interior’s felony proof department, consistent with a biography posted on-line by means of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.

In the Istanbul operation, he used to be intended to take away proof akin to fingerprints or proof of the usage of force, consistent with the Saudi reputable.

Tubaigy spent 3 months in 2015 at Australia’s Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine to observe loss of life investigation procedures and learn about the usage of CT scanning for mass fatality incidents, director Noel Woodford advised Reuters.

Photographs from the institute’s 2015 annual record, which resemble the suspect named by means of Turkish media, show Tubaigy wearing scientific scrubs, a smock and rubber gloves in a laboratory environment, and one after the other talking to colleagues.

Tubaigy did not respond to an e mail sent by means of Reuters.

The Saudi Society of Forensic Medicine lists him as a board member. He earned a master’s degree in forensic drugs from the University of Glasgow in 2004, the biography presentations. A college spokeswoman declined to remark.

Tubaigy is 47 years old, consistent with a passport reproduction supplied to U.S. media by means of Turkish officials.

AHMED AL-ASIRI

Ahmed al-Asiri, former deputy head of General Intelligence, used to be among those sacked by means of King Salman. He joined the military in 2002, consistent with Saudi media reviews, and used to be spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition which intervened in Yemen’s civil war in 2015.

Asiri used to be named deputy chief of overseas intelligence by means of royal decree in April 2017.

Reuters used to be unable to succeed in Asiri for remark.

MOUSTAFA AL-MADANI

Moustafa al-Madani led the intelligence efforts for the 15-man staff in Istanbul, the senior Saudi reputable mentioned.

According to that reputable, Madani donned Khashoggi’s clothes, eyeglasses and Apple watch and left during the again door of the consulate in an try to make it appear to be the journalist had walked out of the building.


Madani is a central authority employee who studied at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, consistent with a Facebook profile with images similar to the suspect identified by means of Turkish media.

Reuters used to be unable to succeed in Madani for remark. University officials could no longer in an instant be reached for remark.

MESHAL SAAD ALBOSTANI

Meshal Saad Albostani is lieutenant in the Saudi Air Force from the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, consistent with a Facebook profile with multiple images similar to the suspect identified by means of Turkish media.

The senior Saudi reputable mentioned he used to be chargeable for the Istanbul staff’s logistics.

Albostani studied on the University of Louisville in Kentucky, consistent with Facebook. University officials contacted by means of Reuters mentioned they might no longer verify a graduate of that name.

A RelatedIn profile matching his name and photograph says he has served in the air force since 2006.

He is 31 years old, consistent with a passport reproduction supplied to U.S. media by means of Turkish officials.

Albostani could no longer in an instant be reached for remark.

OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TEAM

Abdulaziz Mohammed al-Hawsawi is a member of the safety staff that travels with the Saudi crown prince, consistent with a New York Times record that cited a French skilled who has worked with the royal family. He is 31, consistent with a passport reproduction supplied to U.S. media by means of Turkish officials. Reuters could no longer succeed in Hawsawi for remark.

General Rashad bin Hamed al-Hamadi used to be got rid of as director of the general directorate of security and protection in the General Intelligence Presidency.


General Abdullah bin Khaleef al-Shaya used to be got rid of as assistant head of General Intelligence for human sources.


General Mohammed Saleh al-Ramih used to be got rid of as assistant head of General Intelligence for intelligence affairs.


The 3 generals could no longer be reached for remark.


Who are the 15 Saudis who came to Turkey ahead of Khashoggi's killing? Who are the 15 Saudis who came to Turkey ahead of Khashoggi's killing? Reviewed by Kailash on October 25, 2018 Rating: 5
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