Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman achieved a symbolic victory in his struggle to survive the diplomatic fallout from murder of Saudi citizen and dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi: He met with members of Khashoggi’s family, including his young son, who is not allowed to leave Saudi Arabia, and even managed to take advantage of a photo-op with Khashoggi’s young son, who has been barred from leaving the country, per Reuters.
Meanwhile, the 18 men arrested by the Saudi government for their alleged involvement in Khashoggi’s killing, which the Saudi public prosecutor said over the weekend resulted from a “botched interrogation”. While 5 senior intelligence officials have also been dismissed, it appears that these 18 men will suffer the consequences for Khashoggi’s murder. Sources within the kingdom have confirmed that the 15 men identified by Turkish investigators were among the 18 who were arrested. US officials last month said they would revoke the visas of 21 men suspected of involvement in the killing.
Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb
Most of these men were employees from within the intelligence, military or security services. Turkey’s government-controlled Sabah newspaper published photographs of the men purportedly taken from surveillance footage at the airport in Istanbul, as well as two hotels they briefly checked into, the consulate and the consul’s residence.
Certain members of the 15-man crew – including a close associate of MbS and a Saudi autopsy expert – have attracted heightened public scrutiny. But, in a piece profiling some of the men either arrested or fired by the Saudi government, Reuters offered a breakdown of key biographical details (text courtesy of Reuters).
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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 authorized 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 U.S. 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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We now await more information about the nature of the punishments to be doled out to these men – particularly those who were arrested for allegedly playing a direct role in the killings. Saudi Arabia is known for its medieval justice system, where criminals are still punished with amputations and beheadings. And there’s still the question of whether the kingdom will acquiesce to Turkish demands that the members of the kill team be extradited to face charges in Istanbul, as President Erdogan has demanded.
I wouldn’t say that the photo op with Kashoggi’s son was a symbolic victory. If it was it was a Pyrrhic victory as the media seems to be in agreement that the son was forced to do so and that it was a shameful performance. If anything it was on par with everything the Saudis have done with this affair to save face. To quote Donald Trump ‘Worst cover up, ever!’
And for once I agree with the Donald.
Trumps flipflop “worst ever”…….and pathetic.
That ‘HAPPY’ picture says it all. You can clearly see the warmth and gladness to meet each other in their faces.