DUBAI: Saudi Arabia has detained 18 people
and dismissed five senior government officials as part of an
investigation into the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of Saudi policies,
disappeared after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct 2 to
obtain documents for his marriage.
Saudi Arabia initially denied knowledge of his fate. Then, on Saturday,
its public prosecutor said he had been killed in a fight in the
consulate, an explanation that has drawn international scepticism.
Turkish security sources say that when Khashoggi entered the consulate,
he was seized by 15 Saudi intelligence operatives who had flown in on
two jets just hours before.
A senior Saudi official confirmed to Reuters they were among the 18 Saudis detained, along with three local suspects.
Most of the 15 worked in the Saudi military or security and intelligence
services, including at the royal court, according to Saudi and Turkish
officials and several sources with ties to the royal court.
Turkey's pro-government Sabah newspaper published what it said were
photographs of the men taken from surveillance footage at the airport,
two hotels they briefly checked into, the consulate and the consul's
residence.
The following profiles of some of those detained or dismissed are based
on those photographs, Saudi media reports and information from Saudi
officials and sources.
SAUD Al-QAHTANI
Saud al-Qahtani, 40, seen as the right-hand man to Prince Mohammed, was
removed as a royal court adviser and is the highest-profile figure
implicated in the incident.
Qahtani entered the royal court under the late 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
apparatus, the sources with ties to the royal court said.
Tasked with countering alleged Qatari influence on social media, Qahtani
used Twitter to attack criticism of the kingdom in general and Prince
Mohammed in particular. He also used Twitter to attack critics and ran a
WhatsApp group with local newspaper editors, dictating the royal court
line.
Qahtani had tried to lure Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia after he moved
to Washington a year ago fearing reprisals for his views, according to
people close to the journalist and the government.
In an August 2017 Twitter thread asking his 1.35 million followers to
flag accounts for a black list for monitoring, Qahtani wrote: "Do you
think I make decisions without guidance? I am an employee and a faithful
executor of the orders of my lord the king and my lord the faithful
crown prince."
The senior Saudi official said Qahtani had authorised one of his
subordinates, Maher Mutreb, to conduct what he said was meant to be a
negotiation for Khashoggi's return to the kingdom. Qahtani also supplied
Mutreb with unspecified information based on his earlier conversations
with Khashoggi, the official said.
Qahtani did not respond to questions from Reuters. Reuters was not able to reach Mutreb for comment.
MAHER MUTREB
General Maher Mutreb, an aide to Qahtani for information security, was
the lead negotiator inside the consulate, according to the senior Saudi
official. He is a senior intelligence officer and part of Prince
Mohammed's security team. He appeared in photographs with the crown
prince on official visits this year to the United States and Europe.
According to the Saudi official, Mutreb was selected for the Istanbul
operation because he already knew Khashoggi from their time working
together at the Saudi embassy in London.
"He knew Jamal very well and he was the best one to convince him to return," the official said.
Mutreb received Khashoggi at the Saudi consul's office around 1.25pm. He
began urging him to come home and claimed he was wanted by Interpol,
the official said.
The official said Khashoggi told Mutreb he was violating diplomatic
norms and asked whether Mutreb planned to kidnap him. Mutreb said yes,
the official said, in an apparent attempt to intimidate Khashoggi.
Sabah newspaper published stills from surveillance cameras that appear
to show Mutreb entering the consulate three hours before Khashoggi, and
later outside the consul's residence.
Britain's Foreign Office confirmed that Mutreb served as a first secretary for a period including 2007.
SALAH TUBAIGY
Salah Tubaigy is a forensic expert at the Saudi Ministry of Interior's
criminal evidence department, according to a biography posted online by
the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.
In the Istanbul operation, he was supposed to remove evidence such as
fingerprints or proof of the use of force, according to the Saudi
official.
Tubaigy spent three months in 2015 at Australia's Victorian Institute of
Forensic Medicine to observe death investigation procedures and learn
about the use of CT scanning for mass fatality incidents, director Noel
Woodford told Reuters.
Photographs from the institute's 2015 annual report, which resemble the
suspect named by Turkish media, show Tubaigy wearing medical scrubs, a
smock and rubber gloves in a laboratory setting, and separately chatting
with colleagues.
Tubaigy did not respond to an email sent by Reuters.
The Saudi Society of Forensic Medicine lists him as a board member. He
earned a master's degree in forensic medicine from the University of
Glasgow in 2004, the biography shows. A university spokeswoman declined
to comment.
Tubaigy is 47 years old, according to a passport copy provided to US media by Turkish officials.
AHMED AL-ASIRI
Ahmed al-Asiri, former deputy head of General Intelligence, was among
those sacked by King Salman. He joined the military in 2002, according
to Saudi media reports, and was spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition
which intervened in Yemen's civil war in 2015.
Asiri was named deputy chief of foreign intelligence by royal decree in April 2017.
Reuters was unable to reach Asiri for comment.
MOUSTAFA AL-MADANI
Moustafa al-Madani led the intelligence efforts for the 15-man team in Istanbul, the senior Saudi official said.
According to that official, Madani donned Khashoggi’s clothes,
eyeglasses and Apple watch and left through the back door of the
consulate in an attempt to make it look like the journalist had walked
out of the building.
Madani is a government employee who studied at King Fahd University of
Petroleum and Minerals in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, according to a
Facebook profile with photographs resembling the suspect identified by
Turkish media.
Reuters was unable to reach Madani for comment. University officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
MESHAL SAAD ALBOSTANI
Meshal Saad Albostani is lieutenant in the Saudi Air Force from the Red
Sea port city of Jeddah, according to a Facebook profile with multiple
photographs resembling the suspect identified by Turkish media.
The senior Saudi official said he was responsible for the Istanbul team's logistics.
Albostani studied at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, according
to Facebook. University officials contacted by Reuters said they could
not confirm a graduate of that name.
A LinkedIn profile matching his name and photo says he has served in the air force since 2006.
He is 31 years old, according to a passport copy provided to U.S. media by Turkish officials.
Albostani could not immediately be reached for comment.
OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TEAM
Abdulaziz Mohammed al-Hawsawi is a member of the security team that
travels with the Saudi crown prince, according to a New York Times
report that cited a French professional who has worked with the royal
family. He is 31, according to a passport copy provided to U.S. media by
Turkish officials. Reuters could not reach Hawsawi for comment.
General Rashad bin Hamed al-Hamadi was removed as director of the
general directorate of security and protection in the General
Intelligence Presidency.
General Abdullah bin Khaleef al-Shaya was removed as assistant head of General Intelligence for human resources.
General Mohammed Saleh al-Ramih was removed as assistant head of General Intelligence for intelligence affairs.
The three generals could not be reached for comment.
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