Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman breaks Silence over Jamal Khashoggi's Killing, Promises ‘Justice’
In his first public comments in the weeks since Khashoggi's murder, the crown prince, said on Wednesday that the perpetrators of the crime would be brought to justice with the help of Turkey.
The blame for the killing of Saudi journalist and political columnist has been squarely laid at the feet of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, by both Turkey and now the U.S. This seems to have pressured him into breaking his silence on the gruesome act.
In his first public comments in the weeks since Khashoggi's murder, the crown prince, said on Wednesday that the perpetrators of the crime would be brought to justice with the help of Turkey.
Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, he said that "some people are trying to seize this painful moment to drive a wedge between Saudi Arabia and Turkey".
He continued: "I want to send them a message: You will not be able to do that as long as we have a king called Salman bin Abdulaziz and a crown prince called Mohammed bin Salman and a Turkish president named Erdogan.
"The rift will never be created. We will prove to the entire world that the both countries are cooperating to punish all perpetrators and justice will be above everything."
MBS' remarks on Wednesday came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time implied that the crown prince may have had a role in the killing. Not only does it look like Saudi Arabia is being shunned by its strongest ally in the West but Turkey’s President Erdogan also trained his guns on Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler.
A top aide to Turkey’s president said, the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has “blood on his hands” in the killing of government critic Jamal Khashoggi, in his country’s first direct accusation against the man behind the Saudi throne. The allegation by Ilnur Cevik came a day after Erdogan said the killing was pre-planned but stopped short of pointing fingers at the 33-year old Saudi leader.
“It is a futile gesture trying to distance the crown prince from the monstrous atrocity that has been committed by the Saudis,” Cevik said in a column published on Wednesday. “U.S. President Donald Trump may try to stand up for MBS so Washington can use him for its plans against Iran; however, from now on, wherever the crown prince goes, he will be regarded as the man with Khashoggi’s blood on his hands.”
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 25, 2018 04:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).