The Saudis will find a scapegoat for the case of missing Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Prince Khalid bin Farhan al-Saud lives as a dissident in exile in Germany said.
In an interview with Deutsche Welle or DW, Germany’s public international broadcaster, accused Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of being behind the alleged murder of Khashoggi.
Bin Farhan said that Khashoggi had ties with the royal family and that he objected to being labeled as an opposition figure.
“He did not pose any political danger to the royal family. Even in his criticism, he was cautious. I don’t see him as having been a direct threat to the Saudi government,” he told the German broadcaster.
Elaborating on King Salman’s violent mentality, Bin Farhan said: “I could not say that King Salman is directly involved but I believe the decision and the implementation of the killing leads to his son, Mohammed.”
“The murder of Khashoggi and the way the story is circulating in the media has exposed the Saudi royal family in an unprecedented way. When a state kidnaps, kills and dismembers one of its citizens, what we are faced with is a mafia organization — not a legitimate government.”
Asked if he feels safer in Germany or he feels more worried about his personal safety, the Saudi exiled prince said: “I have been persecuted and threatened for a long time. Other people might feel fear as a result, but what I see now is that the [Saudi] government is under public scrutiny. On top of that, I’m in constant contact with the German police — I have a personal number that allows me to reach the police at any time. There is always a police car near my house.”
“I feel safe. But that is not to say that the reckless mentality of the current Saudi ruler is not frightening. He does not consider the consequences of his actions, this worries me at times. If he were a reasonable person and considered the consequences of his actions, I would feel more relaxed.”
Asked about US’ stance towards Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi case, Bin Farhan said: “The United States, like any other state that deals individually with Saudi Arabia, will continue to pursue its own interests. But if Congress were to impose sanctions on Riyadh, not even Donald Trump would be able to stop it.”
Source: German Media
