It still isn’t clear what exactly happened to Jamal Khashoggi, or who is responsible. The Turkish government insists that he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where Saudi government operatives murdered him. The Saudis deny this. There is no doubt that they could have done it, and that the Saudi government is capable of that kind of targeted assassination; however, when the only source is the Turkish government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, there is cause for hesitation to accept the narrative. Likewise, the clamor of far-Left Democrat Senators for Trump to punish the Saudis has the feel of their patented staged indignation and self-righteousness. The Saudis may have murdered Khashoggi. They may not have. It is impossible to tell at this point.
“Beware of Media Sourcing for Jamal Khashoggi ‘Scoops,'” by Patrick Poole, PJ Media, October 12, 2018:
There are still more questions than answers surrounding the disappearance of sometime Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last week. And the whole affair has become a tug-of-war between Middle East interests and an ongoing conflict between Saudi Arabia and other powers in the region, including Turkey and Qatar.
In the absence of verifiable facts, the American media are floating all kinds of leaks from Turkish sources. As I noted just last month, American media continue to gravitate towards the Erdogan regime, even as Turkey remains the largest jailer of journalists in the world, creating several layers of irony in the Khashoggi saga.
But in the past 24 hours we now have a glimpse of exactly who is feeding the establishment media reporting on the Khashoggi matter — including at least one source who was tied to a joint Libyan intelligence and al-Qaeda plot to assassinate the Saudi crown prince.
Earlier today, Yahoo News published an article quoting an associate close to Khashoggi. The source conveniently said that President Trump’s criticism of the media is directly tied to the alleged decision by the Saudi Crown Prince to have Khashoggi murdered.
The source for this article and the allegation is Khaled Saffuri:
A close friend of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi tells @Isikoff and me that Saudi Crown Prince MBS may have felt emboldened by Trump’s anti-media rhetoric. “Trump hates journalists and he would not react if we kill one journalist,” says Khaled Saffuri. https://t.co/Q207QgVXFC
— Daniel Klaidman (@dklaidman) October 12, 2018
Saffuri also appears as a named source in a Daily Beast article from earlier this week on Khashoggi’s alleged pro-democracy efforts.
It would be helpful to explain to our readers just who Mr. Saffuri is.
Khaled Saffuri is the protege of al-Qaeda fundraiser Abdurahman Alamoudi, who is currently serving a 17-year sentence in federal prison for his role as bagman for the Libyan/Al-Qaeda assassination plot.
Remarkably, Saffuri’s ties to terror financing were reported on shortly after the 9/11 attacks by none other than Michael Isikoff — one of the authors of today’s Yahoo News article. Yet Saffuri’s background is never mentioned.
Saffuri got his start in Washington, D.C. as Alamoudi’s deputy and chief lobbyist of the American Muslim Council.
For his book, Infiltration, reporter Paul Sperry uncovered a 1996 lobbying disclosure showing Saffuri’s position with Alamoudi’s AMC:
As I noted here at PJ Media two years ago, one of the most important events that Alamoudi and Saffuri were responsible for was the first White House Iftar dinner that they arranged in 1996 for then-First Lady Hillary Clinton.
In 1998, Saffuri established a new organization, the Islamic Institute. Among those providing the start-up money for his new venture was his longtime mentor, Alamoudi:
Cooperation between the two didn’t end with Saffuri’s new organization, nor was Alamoudi the only problematic element for Saffuri’s operation.
As Franklin Foer reported at The New Republic in November 2001, one of the first events held by Saffuri’s Islamic Institute was funded by Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
Eager to improve relations with the United States, Qatar worked with Norquist and Saffuri to help portray itself as a liberal outpost in the Islamic world. In April, Saffuri sponsored the “First Annual Conference on Free Trade and Democracy” in the Qatari capital of Doha, for which the Islamic Institute received over $150,000 in payments from the Qatar Embassy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Account. (Saffuri says these were reimbursements for the travel expenses of congressional delegates.)
A lobbyist at Norquist’s firm, Janus-Merritt, has solicited pro-Qatari op-eds from at least one conservative pundit. When the emir of Qatar came to Washington, Saffuri hosted a Capitol Hill luncheon in his honor.
Saffuri’s Islamic Institute was also the co-sponsor of an October 28, 2000, rally in Lafayette Park across from the White House when Alamoudi gave an impassioned speech expressing his support for Hamas and Hezbollah, two U.S.-designated terrorist organizations…
Read the rest here.
Mac-101 says
So was the assassination plot tied into the Vegas Murders/shootin last year?
Brian hoff says
The las verge gunman act on his own.
Mac-101 says
Yup, And the security guard that was shoot couldn’t figure out if he was the FIRST to git shoot or the last!!! LOL!
StellaSaidSo says
I agree, Mac, this whole event is highly suspicious. One thing is for certain, however. The alleged gunman did not act alone, if he acted at all.
Mac-101 says
And how do you like practically nothin on the news about it on the one year anniversary? Just a little memorial for the survivors, hardly NO press!
StellaSaidSo says
@ Mac
We must be due for another false flag attack soon. Da swamp want da guns, real bad.
mortimer says
Spies, traitors and supremacists. Islamo-fascism is on the march and heavily funded by Arab governments, Iran’s billionaire mullahs and Turkey.
Renate says
If you watch this video, it doesn’t sound good for the Saudis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMia14BhtD8&t=381s
christianblood says
Renate
Thanks for video! Glen Beck is right! This Saudi journalist dissident was 99.99% lured into the Saudi embassy, interrogated, tortured and then murdered in the Saudi consulate in Turkey and the US intelligence authorities (at least) knew about the plot but intentionally refused to warn him!
Saudi-Arabia=ISIS!
Renate says
Glen Beck paints a vivid picture of the likely fate of Mr. Khashoggi. So much for the Saudi reforms. The Crown Prince will not tolerate dissent of any kind.
christianblood says
Renate
True! Let us hope starts the doom of the blood-thirsty, head-chopping, satanic entity known as S.A. and its international, immoral and dollar-worshiping backers!
No difference between ISIS and Saudi Arabia! See it below:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DnnnOAKWsAE1cN1.jpg
Baucent says
Of course we know the Russians didn’t do it. They would have used some radioactive substance or nerve gas as a poison.
gravenimage says
It could have been the Saudis; it could have been Turkey.
Turkey only has a thin veneer of being more civilized.
Mac-101 says
So True!!!
rbla says
Interesting parallel with the alleged poisoning of Russian dissidents in England. We are supposed to believe that Putin was stupid enough to have a chemical associated with Russia used to swat someone who was at most an annoying gnat. Putin may not be Mr. Nice Guy but if he really wanted to be rid of this minor pest there are a lot of less obvious ways he could have used. So the question is Cui Bono? Possibilities: enemies of Putin within his own Deep State who want to embarrass him, members of Ukrainian intelligence or right wing extremists and – drum roll – Iran. Their object: prevent Trump from carrying out his agenda to improve relations and establish cooperation with Russia.
Switch to Turkey. We have a new leader in Saudi Arabia, who far from perfect, is at least taking some steps toward reform and to cooperation with the U.S. and even with Israel regarding the Iranian threat. We are supposed to believe that he was stupid enough to lure this guy into his own Consulate in order to do him in when there would be many less obvious ways of accomplishing that. So Cui Bono? Wahhabist fanatics who hate even the smallest reforms and once again Iran. And of course Turkish despot Erdogan. All in an unholy alliance to drive a wedge between the U.S. and the Saudis. And frosting on the cake Erdogan suddenly announces the release of the American pastor. What a miracle!
Donald, I urge you not to fall for this.
christianblood says
Trump’s response to Kashogi murder at the Saudi consulate in Turkey:
https://www.socialzon.me/videos/watch/hYPyaJMA3eA
Mac-101 says
I concur. Don’t disappear someone goin into your Embassy. Everyone knows they’re cameras on everything anymore!
gravenimage says
The Saudis rarely care about being subtle. It could have been the Saudis or the Turks.
Mac-101 says
If SA did this with it easily showing the reporter goin into the Embassy, with 12 other SA goons following behind him and only the Goons leavin, then SA was sendin a message to ALL others. THEY did it to git the word out not to mess with the Crown Prince.
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The Image the CP is cultivating is opposite to this. Therefore I would suspect that this reporter would have been dispatched in a more subtle but grisly manner that would point to numerous possibilities, but still putting out the fear of Allah into ALL who would repot negatively on SA!
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Some reports say the interrogation/torture and murder with all the screams and cries was recorded on his I-phone and the SA tried to turn it off. If so, it shows that I-phones can be activated as some claim to record ALL info without being turned on. Something to think about!
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One would think the Intel agencies would have kept it on and had someone else carry it to his residence parkin lot or favorite café or somewhere else so it could be tracked out of the Embassy. We ALL should know that the I-phone tracks you constantly and the data can be and IS called up regularly!
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As for ALL the BS about Apple would NOT release the I-phone data on the Cali couple murdering ALL those people at a Christmas Party, it is BS. My phone locked up and my print nor password would open it. The local dude that plays with I-phones opened it up for me in like 5 minutes!
WPM says
So now the American Democrats want us to do something about an American journals killed while living and doing research in a land lead by a murdering ,supremist leader? We should believe what he says about the murder without proof on who murder him .Some how it is Trumps fault he is murdered by either the Saudis , or the Turks , or other Islamic groups fighting for power in the world because “Trump Hate journalist and would not react if one got killed ” they think we should have “reactions” based on unknown facts of who murder this man? ‘ .We are to believe another MSM payed for in the pocket of Islamic terrorist groups Khaled Saffuri whose opinions and feelings are masquerade as facts on who killed Jamal Khashoggi .If someone stated it was Mr Mustard in the Parlor with a candle stick would that make it true with no facts coming from witnesses, surveillance cameras, or any hard evidence ,just on the word of a murdering power mad leader Erdogan?
Mac-101 says
Agreed. To many variables. We can NOT even git Justice in the USA, let alone Turkey or SA!
pennant8 says
What about Khasgoggi himself? Daniel Greenfield has some background.
https://www.frontpagemag.com/point/271613/media-forgets-mention-jama-khashoggi-was-muslim-daniel-greenfield
gravenimage says
Thanks for that link. I knew that Khasgoggi had some troubling associations himself.
Still does not mean I am not troubled by his likely assassination.
Lookmann says
‘To believe or not to believe’
I guess the Saudis are capable of ‘barbarism’.
They have it in their blood.
WPM says
The Saudis could have done it, Turkey could have done it , a lot of the usual bad groups all Islamic could have done it .If the Saudis wanted him dead why have it done at their embassy where there are many cameras filming all activity going into and out of the building 24/7? Why have it done were it would lead directly to Saudis embassy in Turkey ? What ,s in it for them to kill this man with all the evidence pointing to them, with their money and power it would be a lot cheaper and easier to have a bomb blow up his car , an accident in the street on his way to the embassy , a robber gone bad in the street ,if I want to kill someone ,I would not invite him to my house while I knew my enemy (Turkey}was filming my house 24/7 to have him killed and dismember there to not be filmed never leaving the house (a little editing could have him never leaving}?He could be pick up after leaving the embassy to be “dispatched” by the Turkish police and never seen again . Trump response was we have to see what must be done as the evidence come forward ,what if he is still alive in hiding in Iran being a good friend of the terrorist there living the good life on the Mullahs dime just to embarrass the United States Saudis arm deal? Stranger things have happen in the world of Islamic vs Islamic top dog rules the world rules.
Mac-101 says
Well said. I’d like more info on whether he was plottin to wack the Crown Prince! If so was Vegas part of it?
christianblood says
Lookman
You are indeed right! Saudi=ISIS!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoRHLrXmqbc
christianblood says
Lookman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f35TUFmCtYY
christianblood says
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f35TUFmCtYY
christianblood says
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WlqW6UCeaY
Buraq says
Honestly! What amateurs! If you want to rub someone out and not be blamed, you arrange an ‘accident’. Car crash, street robbery gone wrong; or maybe a paid assassin. There are dozens of solutions. Clowns!
Shirley Ann says
I believe we had a similar problem in Syria, depending on News from the Notorious White Helmets, because we had no one in whom to trust in that region.
I hope that President Trump has better sources to account for the Disappearance of this So-Called Journalist, Khashoggi.
Sometimes it’s difficult to tell the Difference between a Journalist & a Partisan Operator, paid by the Highest Bidder.
No one is Trustworthy in the Muslim World, when they are dealing with the Western Civilized World, Non-Muslim!
Baucent says
An international intrigue. It seems highly likely the Saudi’s murdered Khashoggi in their embassy. But what is also interesting is the actions of Turkey, a fellow Muslim country. Their leaking of video evidence was designed to embarrass the Saudis. Did they do that from outrage, or is it part of a regional influence struggle they are having with Saudi Arabia? Erdogan sees himself as the leader of the muslim world, here’s an opportunity to trip up the new Saudi king (a possible Sunni rival) and put him in the US bad books. I rather suspect that is behind the Turks action, rather than a concern for human rights.
Mac-101 says
Exactly!
Brian hoff says
He and Turkey are the leader of the Islamist world.
gravenimage says
Does “Brian hoff”–really, “DefenderofIslam”–have a problem that the “leader(s) of the Islamist world” are both suspected of murdering this journalist? Of course not.
Brian hoff says
The burden of proof is 100% on SA to prove they didnot murder the reporter.
WPM says
If there is not solid proof we do not know ,the United States is not responsible for his murder ,he chose to live in a very hostile land and play footsee with very dangerous Islamic elements . Moslem Brotherhood , Saudis, Turkish government, it was like a mob hit on a rival mob member. The question remains why have him killed at an embassy that is under surveillance 24/7 by your enemy? He was going to the embassy to discuss his divorce according to his “girl friend ” who said she waited outside for him (why is she still alive if that is the case is anyones guess} according to NY Times op ed piece published on 10/14/2018 .Yes he could not get a divorce in any other way then to go to an embassy of a government that at this time hates him .He is an American citizen he could not travel to America with his girl friend and file for divorce there ,or go to the Saudi embassy in America with witnesses ? No he chose to go to the Saudi embassy along in Turkey to discuss divorce? Looks more like the scene from the movie Good Fellows when the guy thinks he is going to get “made” and ends up with a bullet in his head and as the shooter said in that movie that is that.
gravenimage says
Media source for Jamal Khashoggi “scoops” is protege of imprisoned al-Qaeda financier
…………………….
Troubling but hardly surprising.
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
savage mad devil Trump said he is less concern with series of assassinations of opponents by evil Saudi monarchs, what matters is American interests of armed robbery getting Billions of dollars from these idiot monarchs. Mr spencer is in support of that by trying to discredit the overwhelming evidence from Turkish intelligence, which evil Saudi monarchs cannot negative, it was just a bare denial.
gravenimage says
Ibrahim itace muhammed does not actually have any ideological differences with the vicious Saudis, he just considers them rivals to his own factions.
And even less does he have a problem with Muslims murdering journalists.
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
Liar Gravenimage ,you mean idiot saudi monarchs are now vicious because they refuse to pay more for obsolete weapons and pump more oil to reduce the price? what if they agree, they are nice guys?
gravenimage says
Note that, as always, Ibrahim itace muhammed is unable to cite anything I said that was untrue.
As for his implications, they are utterly false. I have said many times here that we should not be selling Muslims weapons, nor should we rely on oil reserves in Dar-al-Islam.
Instead, I oppose Saudi Arabia because I am disgusted by support for Jihad and Shari’ah, Beheadings in the streets, crushing of freedom, and the legalized beating and murder of women. (And this is just scratching the surface).
Of course, a pious Muslim like Ibrahim itace muhammed is unable to grasp this.
gravenimage says
Now it sounds as though the Saudis are indeed admitting they murdered this man:
“Saudis preparing to admit Jamal Khashoggi died during interrogation, sources say”
https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/15/middleeast/saudi-khashoggi-death-turkey/index.html