The King of Saudi Arabia has no knowledge of the fate of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Donald Trump said today.
The US president wrote online: "Just spoke to the King of Saudi Arabia who denies any knowledge of whatever may have happened “to our Saudi Arabian citizen.”
"He said that they are working closely with Turkey to find answer. I am immediately sending our Secretary of State to meet with King!"
The update from Mr Trump came as Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul was expected to be searched over two weeks after Mr Khashoggi's disappearance.
A Turkish diplomat said that the “inspection” would be jointly carried out by Turkish and Saudi officials this afternoon.
US resident Mr Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, disappeared on October 2 while visiting the consulate.
Turkish officials believe he was killed by a Saudi hit team and dismembered. The kingdom denies the allegations.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman today ordered the country’s public prosecutor to open an internal investigation into the case.
The king and President Erdogan of Turkey also vowed to set up a “joint working group” to investigate.
It also emerged today that Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan, has pulled out of an event in Saudi Arabia dubbed 'Davos in the Desert'.
Mr Dimon was asked last week if he was going to participate in the event, but declined to comment. A JPMorgan spokesman said the bank was not giving any additional comment on Dimon's decision to pull out.
