The royal family of Saudi Arabia is considering diverting blame for the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi on the deputy chief of the country's intelligence, General Ahmed al-Assiri, The New York Times reported on Thursday. Sources close to the matter said the plan is to say that Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Assiri to bring Khashoggi for an interrogation in Saudi Arabia, but the general either misunderstood the instruction or decided on his own to murder the journalist, who is a United States resident.
US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said earlier in the day that Riyadh has "a few more days" to complete the internal investigation of Khashoggi's disappearance. He added that Washington's response will depend on the facts presented upon the completion of the probe.
According to a Turkish official, local police found evidence that proves Khashoggi was killed and dismembered in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, after entering the mission on October 2.
