Riyadh takes 'corrective steps' amid row over Khashoggi

By Hussein Elkabany

RIYADH (AA) – Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers on Tuesday said that King Salman bin Abdulaziz was taking “corrective measures” after Riyadh admitted the death of missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

“Royal directives issued following the unfortunate event that took the life of Jamal Khashoggi... reflect our determination not only to hold those involved to account but also to take corrective measures,” the SPA reported.

The assertions were made following a Tuesday meeting of the Council of Ministers chaired by King Salman at Riyadh’s Yamamah Royal Palace.

According to the news agency, King Salman has called for the creation of a ministerial committee tasked with restructuring the Saudi intelligence apparatus.

The committee is reportedly to be headed up by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who serves as both deputy PM and defense minister.

A columnist for the Washington Post, Khashoggi was last seen on Oct. 2 when he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

After days of denying any knowledge of his whereabouts, Saudi officials last week admitted that Khashoggi had died inside the consulate.

Since then, King Salman has sacked the deputy head of the Saudi intelligence agency (along with a top aide), while also ordering the arrest of 18 suspects.

On Sunday, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir admitted that Khashoggi had been killed inside the consulate, but insisted that the high-profile crown prince had been unaware of it.

Al-Jubeir has also posited the notion that Khashoggi’s presumed murder was carried out by “rogue” elements of the Saudi intelligence apparatus.