Saudi Arabia issued a staunch warning Sunday to any country considering punishing them over their potential role in the disappearance of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
Khashoggi, a U.S. resident, was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on Oct. 2 to obtain marriage documents, but his fiancee says he never exited.
Turkish investigators believe a team of Saudi agents was sent to the consulate to kill and dismember the dissident journalist, but Saudi Arabia denies these reports. (RELATED: Rand Paul Calls On Congress To Halt Arms Sales To Saudi Arabia Over Jamal Khashoggi Disappearance)
In a statement titled “Official Source: KSA [Kingdom of Saudi Arabia] confirms its total rejection of any threats and attempts to undermine it,” Saudi Arabia said “that if it receives any action, it will respond with greater action.”
Leaders from around the world have expressed concern over reports that Khashoggi may have been assassinated by his home country, and a few U.S. lawmakers have even called on Congress to halt arms sales and military support to the nation.
“The kingdom affirms its total rejection of any threats and attempts to undermine it, whether by threatening to impose economic sanctions, using political pressures, or repeating false accusations that will not undermine the Kingdom and its staunch positions and Arab, Islamic and international status, the outcome of these weak endeavors, like their predecessors, is a demise” it reads.
President Donald Trump threatened “severe punishment” if the reports of a possible murder are true, but stopped short of halting arms sales.
“[The] Kingdom’s economy has an influential and vital role in the global economy and that the Kingdom’s economy is affected only by the impact of the global economy,” an official source stated in the statement said of possible sanctions.
The Saudi Embassy tweeted Sunday what it called a clarification, saying the “Kingdom of Saudi Arabia extends it appreciation to all, including the US administration, for refraining from jumping to conclusions on the ongoing investigation.”
To help clarify recently issued Saudi statement, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia extends it appreciation to all, including the US administration, for refraining from jumping to conclusions on the ongoing investigation. https://t.co/AhcsVkn7Cy
— Saudi Embassy (@SaudiEmbassyUSA) October 14, 2018
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