Reform Symbol Saudi Prince Revealed to Have Ordered Rival's Assassination

US Authorities Release Reports Restricted by Trump Administration
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[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who was called a 'friend' by former U.S. President Donald Trump, has fallen into disgrace as a figure who ordered the assassination of a political opponent by the Joe Biden administration.

According to U.S. media, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence (DNI) released a report on the 26th (local time) concluding that Crown Prince Mohammed approved the assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The declassified report by the DNI stated, "It is assessed that Crown Prince Mohammed approved the operation to capture or kill Khashoggi."

The report revealed that the assassination team included seven personal security agents who could not have participated without the Crown Prince's approval. It stated, "The Crown Prince viewed Khashoggi as a threat to the kingdom and broadly supported the use of violent means to silence him if necessary."

The report expressed a high degree of confidence that 21 individuals involved in the incident were implicated or responsible for Khashoggi's death on behalf of Crown Prince Mohammed.

Along with the report's release, the U.S. imposed sanctions restricting entry into the United States for 76 Saudi citizens suspected of involvement in the killing.

The U.S. sanctions did not include Crown Prince Mohammed. This is interpreted as a consideration of the relationship with Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally.

Bloomberg News stated, "There is currently no indication of plans to sanction the Crown Prince," interpreting that since he is destined to become Saudi Arabia's ruler within a few years, sanctioning him risks alienating an important ally.

Crown Prince Mohammed stirred much controversy during the process of securing the crown prince position after his elderly father, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, ascended the throne. After securing the crown prince position, he led reforms in Saudi Arabia, attracting global attention.

Khashoggi was a columnist for the U.S. daily The Washington Post and a dissident who criticized the Saudi royal family.

Khashoggi, who was a 'thorn in the side' of Crown Prince Salman, entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, in October 2018 and was killed, turning the issue into an international controversy.

The international community has not dismissed suspicions that Crown Prince Mohammed was behind the assassination, but the Saudi government has strongly denied it.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.