CIA chief, Haspel to brief Senate on Khashoggi’s death

CIA Director, Gina Haspel, will on Tuesday give a closed briefing to leaders of several U.S. Senate committees on the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the two sources familiar with the planned meeting said.

Some lawmakers were angry Haspel did not participate in a Senate briefing by Trump administration officials recently on Khashoggi’s death at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

The CIA has assessed that Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, ordered the killing of Khashoggi, being a critic of the Saudi government.

The Wall Street Journal first reported that Haspel would conduct a briefing.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, at a recent briefing, said there was no hard evidence the crown prince was behind the killing.

The duo urged senators not to downgrade ties with Saudi Arabia over the incident.

The source said Haspel would brief the Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations, Armed Services and Appropriations committees.

He added that the Senate Intelligence Committee already had been briefed by the CIA chief.

A source said Senate leaders would also participate in the briefing, which is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. ET.

However, the CIA had no immediate comment. (Reuters/NAN)