Defense Secretary James Mattis on Wednesday pushed back against media reports the CIA concluded Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, telling reporters there is "no smoking gun" implicating the prince, The Week reports.
"We have no smoking gun the crown prince was involved – not the intelligence community or anyone else – there is no smoking gun," Mattis said, adding the U.S. would still hold those responsible for Khashoggi's death accountable.
"We have not changed [our position] that accountability for the murder is our expectation, of everyone involved in the murder," Mattis said.
His comments follow a briefing he and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gave to senators on the situation surrounding Khashoggi. The upper chamber is expected to vote Thursday on whether to cut aid to Saudi Arabia for its war in Yemen.
"There is no direct reporting connecting the crown prince to the order of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, and that's all I can say in an unclassified setting," Mattis said after the meeting where he and Pompeo argued against suspending aid.
CIA Director Gina Haspel, who traveled to Turkey as part of the investigation, was absent from the meeting. Khashoggi died in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
CBS, CNN and the New York Times have all reported the CIA has intelligence supporting that Mohammed ordered the killing.
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