Senior US senator says Saudi 'murdered' Khashoggi

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - A top U.S. senator said Tuesday Saudi Arabia "murdered" missing Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, placing the onus on Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

"This guy has got to go," Lindsey Graham told Fox News morning program Fox & Friends, referring to bin Salman who is also known by his initials MBS. "The MBS figure is, to me, toxic. He can never be a world leader on the world stage.”

"This guy is a wrecking ball, he had this guy murdered in a consulate in Turkey, and to expect me to ignore it, I feel used and abused," Graham added.

The senator did not present evidence to support his allegation bin Salman had Khashoggi killed.

But Graham warned he "can never do business with Saudi Arabia again," saying he will not return to Saudi Arabia until bin Salman steps down from power.

"I'm going to sanction the hell out of Saudi Arabia," he added. "Saudi Arabia, if you're listening, there are a lot of good people you can choose but MBS has tainted your country and tainted himself."

The Saudis have denied killing Khashoggi.

He was last seen entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, the same day 15 other Saudis, including several officials, arrived in the Turkish city on two planes and visited the diplomatic building while Khashoggi was inside, Turkish police sources said.

All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.

Saudi Arabia's Consul General in Istanbul Mohammad al-Otaibi left Turkey for Riyadh on Tuesday, according to diplomatic sources.

His departure comes as Turkish and Saudi officials are preparing to search al-Otaibi's residence, Turkish Foreign Ministry officials said requesting anonymity.

Saudi Arabia is preparing to admit it killed Khashoggi in an interrogation gone wrong, according to media reports.