BBC Online :
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister has said the suspects in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi would be prosecuted in Saudi Arabia.
At a conference in Bahrain, Adel al-Jubeir accused the Western media of “hysteria” in its coverage of the case.
His comments come a day after Turkey said it wished to extradite 18 Saudi nationals who authorities say were involved in the murder.
The writer was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul three weeks ago.
Riyadh denies the ruling royal family was involved and blames “rogue agents”.
Saudi Arabia initially denied all knowledge of the journalist’s fate but the Saudi public prosecutor now describes it as premeditated murder.
Khashoggi had been an outspoken critic of the crown prince, the de facto Saudi ruler.
“On the issue of extradition, the individuals are Saudi nationals. They’re detained in Saudi Arabia, and the investigation is in Saudi Arabia, and they will be prosecuted in Saudi Arabia,” Mr Jubeir told a security conference in Bahrain.
Turkey and Saudi Arabia are not known to have an extradition treaty. Analysis by BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner in Bahrain
Saudis are describing the Khashoggi murder as their biggest crisis with Washington since the 9/11 terror attacks of 2001.
On Saturday, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, the plain-speaking ex-US Marine Corps general, left the audience here in no doubt about US intolerance of what happened. Both he and the Saudi foreign minister vowed to get to the bottom of who was behind this murder.
But here lies the problem for both countries. If the trail leads, as some suspect, to the all-powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, then Western governments may feel obliged to insist on his removal or else downgrade ties with Riyadh. But Saudis worry that, for all his autocratic behaviour, “MBS” represents their hope for a more modern, civil society.
If his power is curtailed, they fear, then hardline clerics will look to roll back many of their newfound freedoms.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister has said the suspects in the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi would be prosecuted in Saudi Arabia.
At a conference in Bahrain, Adel al-Jubeir accused the Western media of “hysteria” in its coverage of the case.
His comments come a day after Turkey said it wished to extradite 18 Saudi nationals who authorities say were involved in the murder.
The writer was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul three weeks ago.
Riyadh denies the ruling royal family was involved and blames “rogue agents”.
Saudi Arabia initially denied all knowledge of the journalist’s fate but the Saudi public prosecutor now describes it as premeditated murder.
Khashoggi had been an outspoken critic of the crown prince, the de facto Saudi ruler.
“On the issue of extradition, the individuals are Saudi nationals. They’re detained in Saudi Arabia, and the investigation is in Saudi Arabia, and they will be prosecuted in Saudi Arabia,” Mr Jubeir told a security conference in Bahrain.
Turkey and Saudi Arabia are not known to have an extradition treaty. Analysis by BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner in Bahrain
Saudis are describing the Khashoggi murder as their biggest crisis with Washington since the 9/11 terror attacks of 2001.
On Saturday, US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, the plain-speaking ex-US Marine Corps general, left the audience here in no doubt about US intolerance of what happened. Both he and the Saudi foreign minister vowed to get to the bottom of who was behind this murder.
But here lies the problem for both countries. If the trail leads, as some suspect, to the all-powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, then Western governments may feel obliged to insist on his removal or else downgrade ties with Riyadh. But Saudis worry that, for all his autocratic behaviour, “MBS” represents their hope for a more modern, civil society.
If his power is curtailed, they fear, then hardline clerics will look to roll back many of their newfound freedoms.
