CIA director Gina Haspel briefs Trump after hearing alleged recording of Saudi journalist's killing
CIA director Gina Hapsel has heard the purported audio that Turkey alleges is of Jamal Khashoggi's killing, two sources have told CBS News. Haspel, who visited Turkey earlier this week, has briefed President Trump about what she learned there about the Saudi journalist's death, the White House says. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo attended the meeting.
There are no details of what was discussed, and there hasn't been any reaction from the president.
Turkish officials have leaked details of an alleged recording of Khashoggi that apparently proves he was murdered and dismembered. Up until now, both U.S. officials and Turkish officials have said the alleged recording had not been shared by Turkey. The existence of such a recording has not yet proven.
Khashoggi, a frequent critic of the Saudi government and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, disappeared on Oct. 2 after going into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. After weeks of claiming Khashoggi had walked out of consulate, the Saudi government said on Oct. 19 that Khashoggi was dead after a "fist fight" at the consulate and 18 people had been detained.
The international community largely rejected the initial Saudi explanation into Khashoggi's death. And less than a week after the initial report of his death, Saudi prosecutors said Thursday that an investigation found that Khashoggi's death was planned.
The U.S. State Department has already announced that it will revoke visas of 21 Saudis suspected to be connected to Khashoggi's death.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that he would reveal to the world the "naked truth" about what happened in the Saudi consulate, but addressing lawmakers in the Turkish parliament on Tuesday, the Turkish leader added little more than rhetoric to the scandal, accusing the Saudi government of a "savage," premeditated "political murder," but offering no solid evidence to back the claim. He did not mention any audio or video evidence in the case.
CBS News' Kylie Atwoord, Fin Gomez and Caroline Linton contributed to this report.
