© Reuters / Leah MillisFILE PHOTO.
At least some Saudi agents involved in the grisly murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi were trained in the US
as part of Washington's broader plan to 'modernize' Saudi intelligence, a new report by the Washington Post says.
Members of the 'Saudi Rapid Intervention Group', which was allegedly sent to the Istanbul Consulate in October 2018 to deal with the self-exiled journalist and critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, underwent training in America as part of a program launched
under a State Department license,
Washington Post columnist David Ignatius
wrote, citing Saudi and US sources.
The CIA reportedly warned other government agencies that the special-operations training the Saudis might have received was conducted by Tier 1 Group, an Arkansas-based company as part of ongoing liaison with the Saudis.
The hit-team's alleged leader, Colonel Maher Mutreb, is said to be the one who received the training. Mutreb reportedly served in London as deputy chief of station between 2002 and 2007, and was later repeatedly sent to the US
and elsewhere for training, Ignatius said.
Comment: Pretty clear case against Brennan. A proper investigation would confirm or negate it.