Saudi Arabia admits officials tried to cover up Jamal Khashoggi killing

Saudi Arabia admits officials at its Istanbul consulate covered up the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, saying it was a “huge mistake.”

Jamal Khashoggi was last seen alive walking into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Picture; CCTV via AP.

Saudi Arabia has blamed officials at its consulate in Istanbul for trying to cover up the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, and described his death as a “huge and grave mistake.”

Saudi’s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir extended his condolences to Mr Khashoggi’s family but told Fox on Sunday that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had not been aware of the incident.

“This was an operation where individuals ended up exceeding the authorities and responsibilities they had,” he said. “They made the mistake when they killed Jamal Khashoggi in the consulate and they tried to cover up for it.

“This is a terrible mistake. This is a terrible tragedy and I assure (Mr Khashoggi’s family) that those responsible will be held accountable for this.”

Over the weekend the kingdom claimed that Mr Khashoggi had died in a fight at the consulate. An official claimed that a team of 15 Saudi nationals sent to confront the journalist had threatened him with being drugged and kidnapped and killed him in a chokehold when he resisted.

A member of the team then dressed in Mr Khashoggi’s clothes to make it appear as if he had left the consulate.

The latest claims have done little to assuage global outrage at Mr Khashoggi’s death. The journalist, a former adviser to the Saudi royal family, disappeared after entering the consulate on October 2 to obtain divorce papers so he could marry his fiance.

Turkish media have claimed he was tortured inside the consulate before being killed and dismembered. The Saudis still claim they don’t know where his body is but an official has claimed it was rolled up in a rug and given to a “local cooperator” for disposal.

US Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin said Saudi Arabia’s admission that the Washington Post columnist had been killed in a fistfight was a “good first step but not enough”.

But Germany, Britain and France have pressed Saudi Arabia to provide facts to back up its explanation of a fight at the consulate. The three countries issued a joint statement condemning the killing, saying there is an “urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Berlin would not export arms to Saudi Arabia while the current uncertainty over Mr Khashoggi’s fate persisted.

In a speech on Sunday, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was getting ready to release details from the Turkish investigation into Mr Khashoggi’s death and would do so at his weekly speech to members of his ruling AK Party in parliament.