CIA chief to brief full Senate on Khashoggi’s death

Washington, Dec 5 (IANS) CIA chief Gina Haspel must brief the full Senate on the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, several senators have said after a classified briefing was held a day ago.

In her Tuesday's briefing to a selected few lawmakers, the CIA Director gave a classified briefing on the killing carried out on October 2 which prompted the senators' calling for a full Senate brief, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Every Senator should hear what I heard this afternoon," Democratic Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois said on his official website, "CIA Director Haspel must brief the full Senate immediately."

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer also said that Haspel should meet with the full Senate.

"CIA Director Haspel should brief the full Senate without delay," Schumer, a New York Democrat, said in his statement later in the day.

Senator Rand Paul, who was excluded from the Tuesday's briefing, said that the small group briefing was an example of the "deep state".

"Why shouldn't every senator know what is going on?" the Kentucky Republican said on his Twitter, "This is just ridiculous!"

House Representatives will receive an intelligence briefing from the administration next week on the Khashoggi case, but it's unclear whether the CIA chief will attend, according to media reports.

Khashoggi has been missing since he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. The Saudi authorities said Khashoggi died in a "brawl" in its consulate.

After releasing the results of its initial investigation, the Saudi Public Prosecution announced that 18 Saudis were arrested for their alleged connections with the killing.

The US Treasury imposed sanctions on 17 individuals over their alleged roles in the killing of Khashoggi in mid-November, following the US State Department's decision in late October to revoke 21 Saudi suspects' visas.

The US Congress has urged a thorough investigation into the murder of Khashoggi, and threatened to take more actions against Saudi Arabia if those responsible were not held accountable.