Jamal Khashoggi killers living in luxury villas in Riyadh, say witnesses

Source: The Guardian

Jamal Khashoggi killers living in luxury villas in Riyadh, say witnesses

Exclusive: Reports of hit squad members living freely casts further doubt on Saudi claims that justice has been served

Martin Chulov Middle East correspondent
Thu 30 Dec 2021 13.17 GMT

At least three members of a Saudi hit squad convicted by the kingdom of murdering Jamal Khashoggi are living and working “in seven-star accommodation” inside a government-run security compound in Riyadh, according to a source connected to senior members of Saudi intelligence.

The assassins are believed to be staying in villas and buildings run by Saudi Arabia’s State Security agency – far from the walls of its infamous prisons. The source has spoken to two witnesses who claim to have seen the men. They said family members frequently visit the men, who are able to use a gym and workspaces on the site.

All were sentenced before a Saudi court, in a trial broadly condemned as a sham – though only one of them, Salah al-Tubaigy – was named. Some received death sentences, which were later commuted to life terms.

The sightings cast further doubt on Riyadh’s claims to be holding the killers to account and come as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s most trusted adviser, Saud al-Qahtani has re-emerged in the royal court after three years in hiding. Qahtani was acquitted of any involvement, despite a western intelligence assessment that he had masterminded the assassination at Prince Mohammed’s behest.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/30/jamal-khashoggi-killers-living-in-luxury-villas-in-riyadh-say-witnesses