Saudi crown prince denies ordering journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder

NEW YORK —  Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in a television interview that he takes “full responsibility” for the grisly murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, but denied allegations that he ordered it.

“This was a heinous crime,” the 34-year-old crown prince told “60 Minutes” in an interview that aired Sunday. “But I take full responsibility as a leader in Saudi Arabia, especially since it was committed by individuals working for the Saudi government.”

Asked if he ordered the murder of Khashoggi, who had criticized him in columns for the Washington Post, the crown prince replied: “Absolutely not.”

The slaying was “a mistake,” he said.

Khashoggi entered the Saudi Consulate in Turkey on Oct. 2, 2018, to collect a document that he needed to marry his Turkish fiancee. Agents of the Saudi government killed Khashoggi in the consulate and apparently dismembered his body, which has never been found. Saudi Arabia has charged 11 people in the slaying and put them on trial, which has been held in secret. As of yet, no one has been convicted.

A U.N. report asserted that Saudi Arabia bore responsibility for the killing and said the crown prince’s possible role in it should be investigated. In Washington, Congress has said it believes the crown prince is “responsible for the murder.” Saudi Arabia has long insisted the crown prince had no involvement in an operation that included agents who reported directly to him.

“Some think that I should know what 3 million people working for the Saudi government do daily,” the powerful heir told “60 Minutes.” ’’It’s impossible that the 3 million would send their daily reports to the leader or the second-highest person in the Saudi government.”

In an interview Thursday in New York, Khashoggi’s fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, told the Associated Press that responsibility for Khashoggi’s slaying “was not limited to the perpetrators” and said she wanted the crown prince to tell her: “Why was Jamal killed? Where is his body? What was the motive for this murder?”

The crown prince also addressed the Sept. 14 missile and drone attack on Saudi oil facilities. While Yemen’s Iranian-allied Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the assault, Saudi Arabia has said it was “unquestionably sponsored by Iran.”

“There is no strategic goal,” the crown prince said of the attack. “Only a fool would attack 5% of global supplies. The only strategic goal is to prove that they are stupid and that is what they did.”

He urged “strong and firm action to deter Iran.”