Washington D.C. [USA], Nov 17 (ANI): The United States' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has inferred that Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of senior journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Quoting anonymous sources, The Washington Post reported that the intelligence agency came to the conclusion after examining various evidence, including a phone call between the Saudi Crown Prince's brother Khalid bin Salman and Khashoggi, during which Khalid, the Saudi Ambassador to the US, urged the journalist to visit the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to collect his paperwork, assuring him of utmost safety.

Sources close to the investigation claim that the call by Khalid was made under Mohammed's direction.

Both the Crown Prince and King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, met the deceased journalist's son Salah Khashoggi at the Al Yamamah Palace in Riyadh to condole his death on October 23. The Crown Prince has also previously condoled Khashoggi's death and had said that Saudi Arabia was carrying out investigations to take action against the perpetrators.

The grave charges come in the wake of the US Department of State's imposition of Magnitsky Act penalties on 17 Saudi individuals for their alleged involvement in Khashoggi's demise.

Jamal Khashoggi was reported missing after he stepped into Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to collect paperwork that would allow him to get married to his fiancee Hatice Cengiz.

Saudi Arabia later confirmed Khashoggi's killing, leading to an international uproar led by Turkish President Erdogan.

Investigations into the journalist's death continue both at Saudi Arabia and Turkey, as Khashoggi's body is yet to be traced. (ANI)

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