President Donald Trump has refused to listen to an audio recording of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, describing the killing as “vicious” and “terrible”. In an interview with Fox News Sunday, Trump told presenter Chris Wallace: “I don’t want to hear the tape, no reason for me to hear the tape.” He added that he had been “fully briefed” on its contents.
The remarks come after the CIA concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing, a finding that threatens US-Saudi relations. Trump has been equivocal on the crown prince’s role and the appropriate US response, but has announced a government report on Tuesday assessing the killing and options for action.
Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar has suggested that Khashoggi’s killers may have removed his dismembered body from Turkey in luggage, exploiting diplomatic immunity. Speaking at a conference in Canada, Akar said: “One probability is that they left the country three to four hours after committing the murder. They may have taken out Khashoggi’s dismembered corpse inside luggage without facing problems due to their diplomatic immunity.”
Khashoggi, a US resident and Washington Post columnist, was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October. Turkey has shared audio recordings of the killing with Western allies, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau became the first Western leader to confirm having heard the tape. Saudi Arabia has admitted the killing but denied the crown prince’s involvement, and its public prosecutor has requested the death penalty for five suspects.
