Khashoggi, who was a critic of bin Salman, was hacked to death and his body was dismembered at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 2, 2018.
Back in June 2019, a UN report found that there was "sufficient credible evidence" to pin the murder on bin Salman and he should be investigated for it. But the Saudi Crown Prince has been silent about his involvement in the operation, which the CIA concluded he ordered but the Saudis deny.
Now, nearly one year later, in a newly published conversation with FRONTLINE, bin Salma spoke out for the first time about his role in Khashoggi’s murder — telling the correspondent of the PBS documentary series that the killing happened on his watch.
“It happened under my watch,” said the Saudi leader. “I get all the responsibility, because it happened under my watch.”
But he insisted that it was without his knowledge, the report added.
The exchange is recounted in The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, FRONTLINE’s upcoming season premiere, which examines the Saudi leader’s rise, his rule, and his ties to the events surrounding Khashoggi’s murder. It premieres Tuesday, Oct. 1.
MNA/PR