Jamal Khashoggi murder suspect dies in mysterious accident

One of the Saudi Arabian suspects in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi has reportedly died in a suspicious car accident.

Meshal Saad Albostani died in a suspicious car accident. Picture: Yeni Safak.

One of the Saudi suspects in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi has reportedly died in a mysterious car accident.

Mehal Saad M Albostani was seen entering the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul in a 15-man hit squad which is accused of torturing and dismembering the dissident journalist two weeks ago.

Mr Albostani, a lieutenant in the Saudi Royal Air Force, was involved in a road accident in the past few days, according to the Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak. The paper reports rumours are circulating that he could have been silenced.

Jamal Khashoggi was reportedly dismembered while still alive. Picture: AP.

It comes as US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced on Twitter that he would not attend a major investment conference in Saudi Arabia, hosted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).

The Future Investment Initiative conference, nicknamed Davos in the Desert, has been planned by the Crown Prince as a major summit to showcase the kingdom’s investment opportunities for the world’s business elite.

Mr Mnuchin tweeted: “I will not be participating in the Future Investment Initiative summit in Saudi Arabia.”

Just met with @realDonaldTrump and @SecPompeo and we have decided, I will not be participating in the Future Investment Initiative summit in Saudi Arabia.

— Steven Mnuchin (@stevenmnuchin1) October 18, 2018

His decision to cancel is the first official rebuke from Washington over Mr Khashoggi’s death and is a major blow for the Crown Prince, who had hoped to use the summit to advance Saudi Arabia’s reputation in the global financial world.

Donald Trump said today he now believes Mr Khashoggi is dead and warned of “very severe” consequences.

“It certainly looks that way to me. It’s very sad,” the US President told journalists when asked if he believed Mr Khashoggi was no longer alive.

Asked about the potential US response to Saudi Arabia, he said: “It will have to be very severe. It’s bad, bad stuff.”

Mr Mnuchin’s cancellation follows similar decisions by Britain’s Trade Secretary Liam Fox, who announced that “the time is not right” to attend, and Bruno le Maire, French finance minister, who also cancelled.

Other figures in the global financial world including Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim and a string of senior executives have already confirmed they would boycott the forum.

US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin has cancelled his attendance at the Saudi financial forum. Picture: AFP

Mr Khashoggi was reportedly dismembered with a bone saw while he was still alive, as his torturers listened to music on headphones before they dissolved his body in an acid bath.

Saudi King Salman has denied any knowledge of the murder but various media reports have linked the Crown Prince to the alleged assassins. The Middle East Eye reports that seven members of the assassination squad are members of MBS’s personal security and protection detail who travel with him on official trips abroad.

Major General Mahir Mutrib with the Saudi Crown Prince.

At least three — First Lieutenant Dhaar Ghalib Dhaar Al-Harbi, Sergeant Major Walid Abdullah Al-Shihri, and Abdul Aziz Muhammad Musa Al-Hawsawi. — travelled with the crown prince on his visit to the UK in March. Another two, Major General Mahir Abdul Aziz Muhammad Mutrib and Colonel Badr Lafi Muhammad Al-Oteibi. travelled with him to France in April. Major General Mutrib, the most senior of the officers, who oversaw Mr Khashoggi’s murder, was photographed with MBS in the US earlier this year.

The New York Times has identified Maj-Gen. Mutrib as a diplomat assigned to the Saudi embassy in London based on a British foreign office diplomatic list dating from 2007.

With AP