Move FM Global News

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – On the eve of the first anniversary of his father’s assassination on 2 October 2018, Jamal Khashoggi‘s son has hit out at critics of his country.

Salah Khashoggi says he believes the murder of his father inside the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, a year ago, is being exploited to undermine Saudi Arabia and its leadership.

“The opponents and enemies of the homeland exploited my father’s cause to undermine my country and my leadership,” he said in a tweet posted on Monday. He said he would not allow the memory of his father to be undermined for political purposes.

He also reinforced his previous statements that he has confidence in the leadership of the country and expects his father’s murderers will be brought to justice.

“Opponents from the east and west have sought to take advantage of his case,” Salah said in his tweet.

“My father, in his entire life, has never tolerated any abuse or attempt to harm the kingdom, and I will not accept his memory or his cause being taken advantage of to achieve that after his demise.”

Salah Khashoggi went on to say he had the “utmost confidence in the kingdom’s justice system.”

Hi statements follow an interview featuring Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, aired on the weekend in the U.S. by CBS, during which the crown prince took responsibility for Kamal Khashoggi’s death, but denied he played any part in it, or ordered it.

“This was a heinous crime but I take full responsibility as a leader in Saudi Arabia, especially since it was committed by individuals working for the Saudi government,” he said in the interview broadcast on Sunday.

“When a crime is committed against a Saudi citizen by officials, working for the Saudi government, as a leader I must take responsibility. This was a mistake. And I must take all actions to avoid such a thing in the future,” the crown prince said.

Asked whether he knew about the operation in advance, Prince Salman said: “Some think that I should know what 3 million people working for the Saudi government do daily. It’s impossible that the three million would send their daily reports to the leader or the second-highest person in the Saudi government.”

In response to what he thought about the CIA having concluded the crown prince ordered the killing, the prince replied: “If there is any such information that charges me, I hope it is brought forward publicly.”