Trump to call Saudi king to discuss missing journalist

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday he will call Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to discuss the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

"We’re going to find out what happened with respect to the terrible situation in Turkey having to do with Saudi Arabia and the reporter," said Trump, speaking to the press in Ohio ahead of a campaign rally.

He said he would be calling King Salman “at some point," without elaborating.

Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, and fears have grown that he has been killed by Riyadh.

The Washington Post, which Khashoggi was a columnist for, reported earlier this week that the U.S. intercepted the communications of Saudi officials which allegedly indicated that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman ordered an operation to detain Khashoggi.

Trump said that many countries were "looking very hard and fast" at what happened. "A lot of people are looking to find out because it is potentially a really, really terrible situation."

On the same day Khashoggi arrived at the consulate, 15 Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while Khashoggi was inside, police sources said. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.

Saudi authorities have yet to give a clear explanation of Khashoggi’s fate, while several countries -- particularly Turkey, the U.S. and the UK -- have expressed their desire that the matter should be elucidated as soon as possible.