Turkey issues arrest warrants for MBS associates
Turkey sends a message to Saudi Arabia and the world about the Khashoggi murder.
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey took its pursuit of the killers of Jamal Khashoggi a step further Wednesday when an Istanbul court issued arrest warrants for two close associates of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, saying there was “strong suspicion” the men planned the murder of the Washington Post contributor.
The warrants are for Maj. Gen. Ahmed al-Assiri, whom the crown prince had promoted to deputy chief of Saudi intelligence, and Saud al-Qahtani, a senior aide who once described himself as the “faithful executor” of the crown prince’s orders. Both were fired in October when, after 18 days of denial, the Riyadh government admitted Khashoggi had been killed during his visit to the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.
It is unlikely the warrants will ever be served. Assiri and Qahtani would be foolish to come to Turkey. But as has happened frequently in the Khashoggi affair, Turkey is flashing a signal to Riyadh and the world.
Ankara is telling Riyadh that its failure to charge Assiri and Qahtani makes nonsense of Saudi claims to be conducting a thorough investigation into Khashoggi’s murder.
