The CIA has determined that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, The Washington Post reported Friday citing people familiar with the matter.
Officials told the Post that the CIA has a high degree of confidence in its finding.
The conclusion counters Saudi Arabia's explanation for Khashoggi's death. The kingdom claimed that the Washington Post columnist died in an altercation at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month.
The Post reported that the CIA looked into a phone call between the crown prince's brother, who also serves as the Saudi ambassador to the U.S., Khalid bin Salman and Khashoggi. Sources told the Post that during that call, Khashoggi was directed to pick up documents at the consulate.
While the Post said it was not clear whether Khalid bin Salman knew that Khashoggi would be killed, sources told the Post that he made the call at his brother's request.
Saudi Arabia's account of what happened to Khashoggi changed over time. Days after Khashoggi went missing, the crown prince told Bloomberg that the journalist left the consulate shortly after arriving.
On Thursday, Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor said he was seeking the death penalty for some of the suspects charged with Khashoggi's murder.
Read the full report in The Washington Post.
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