As the case of Jamal Khashoggi's murder gets murkier, the United States has been trying to pressurise Saudi Arabia to come clean and detail the incident. Extending support to a fair investigation, the White House had even invited the journalist's fiancee Hatice Cengiz to visit president Donald Trump.
However, Cengiz has declined the invite and believes that Trump isn't really being sincere in these efforts. "Trump invited me to the United States but I perceived it as a statement to win public favor," Cengiz said in an interview with Turkish television channel Haberturk.
She had earlier said that she was open to visiting the White House if the US would make genuine efforts to find out what went down at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. However, she clearly isn't too pleased with Washington now.
"The statements Trump made in the first days around his invite and the statements he made afterward opposed each other. They were simply statements to gain public sympathy," Cengiz said, and added that she isn't thinking of going to the US, but it depended on how much efforts the Washington made.
During the interview with Haberturk, she also revealed that she received a call from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who told her that the administration was not aware of what happened to Khashoggi yet.
"I think the call was about showing that they were serious after Trump's statements," she added.
Khashoggi Was Sceptical About Visiting The Consulate
Cengiz, a Turkish national, also revealed during the interview that the journalist was a little concerned about visiting the consulate in Istanbul, but believed that Turkey was a safe country.
"I know he had questions in mind about whether something untoward could actually happen at the consulate," Cengiz said. "He thought Turkey is a safe country and if he would be held or interrogated, this issue would be swiftly solved."
Khashoggi had reportedly visited the consulate to complete some paperwork that would finally his divorce in a previous marriage, clearing the way for the scribe and Cengiz to tie the knot.
Khashoggi's Son Arrives In US
While Cengiz has said that she doesn't intend to visit Washington as of now, the slain journalist's son Sarah bin Jamal Khashoggi arrived in the US on Friday, October 26. Salah, a US-Saudi citizen, was earlier barred from leaving Saudi Arabia and his passport was restricted by the kingdom.
Before leaving the kingdom, Salah had met the Crown Prince and his father King Salman bin Abdulaziz and the scribe's stone-faced son was pictured shaking hands with the royals.
Show Us Where Khashoggi's Body Is: Erdogan
Amid the furore over the murder of the scribe, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has once again demanded that Saudi Arabia show where Khashoggi's body was disposed. He also asked Riyadh to reveal the details of who ordered and killing, along with the identity of the Turkish local who helped dispose the slain journalist's remains.
"Who gave that order? If you want to eliminate the suspicion [about you], the key question is these 18 people," the Guardian quoted Erdogan as saying.
"You know how to make people talk. But if you cannot make them talk, then hand them over to us. This incident happened in Istanbul. Let us put them on trial."
Even though Riyadh has now admitted that Khashoggi was killed, apparently in a "fist-fight," it has made all efforts to shield crown prince Mohammed bin-Salman saying that he had no clue of the murder.
However, there seem to be several arrows that point at the crown prince. A few days ago, a Turkish newspaper had claimed that Khashoggi had received a call from the prince after he was intercepted at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. During the call, the prince had tried to convince Khashoggi to return to Riyadh, according to Yeni Safak, the Turkish paper.
"Khashoggi was detained by the Saudi team inside the consulate building. Then Prince Mohammed contacted Khashoggi by phone and tried to convince him to return to Riyadh," the report says, according to news.com.au.
"Khashoggi refused Prince Mohammed's offer out of fear he would be arrested and killed if he returned. The assassination team then killed Khashoggi after the conversation ended."
Before that, 15 people had been named as a part of a team sent from Saudi Arabia to kill Khashoggi, and as per an analysis by the Washington Post, all the men had ties with the crown prince.
