US 'closely engaged' with UAE over sentencing of Jamal Khashoggi's former lawyer

United States is “closely engd” with United Arab Emirates (UAE) over detention of an American citizen who is also a former lawyer for Saudi Arabian journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, said US State Department spokesperson Jake Sullivan on Monday (local time). UAE had sentenced lawyer who represented Khashoggi who was killed at Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul in 2018, to three years in prison. As per reports, Asim Ghafoor was charged with money laundering and tax evasion and he will be deported, however, it still remains unclear when.

Following media report about Ghafoor’s sentencing on Saturday, Sullivan said, “We have been actively and closely engd on this case ever since we learnt of it shortly after his detention late last week. We raised his detention with senior levels of Emirati government, we’ve requested additional information from our Emirati partners and we are watching this case closely”.

Earlier, Ghafoor was reported to be detained by UAE at Dubai International Airport on money laundering charges. It is to mention here that slain Washington Post journalist, Khashoggi was once represented by Ghafoor following gruesome murder of 2018. Prior to US State Department spokesperson’s remarks on Monday, US President Joe Biden had said that he raised Khashoggi’s murder during meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

In a speech following hours of meetings with Saudi Crown Prince, Biden had said, “I raised it at top of meeting, making it clear what I thought of it at time and what I think of it w”.

Biden received backlash for fist-bumping Saudi Crown Prince

Considering several years of tensions between US and UAE over Khashoggi murder, Biden triggered an intensive backlash against him on Friday after he was pictured fist-bumping Saudi Crown Prince. picture spread like wildfire on social media as US intelligence has already concluded that Saudi Crown Prince approved Khashoggi’s murder.

On 2 October 2018, Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident journalist, and columnist for Washington Post was killed by nts of Saudi government at Saudi consulate in Turkey. US intelligence community has reiterated that y believe Saudi Crown Prince ordered killing of Saudi insider-turned-critic who was living in exile in Virginia, at time of death. However, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler has rejected his involvement in incident.

As Biden returned from his first Middle East trip as US president, he disputed Saudi foreign minister's account that he did t hear POTUS blame Saudi Crown prince for killing of Khashoggi. When Biden was asked if Adel al-Jubeir was telling truth in resounding exchange between Biden and Crown Prince, US President replied, “”.

Earlier, Saudi minister of state for foreign affairs said that Crown Prince or MbS had told US President kingdom had acted to prevent a repeat of mistakes like Khashoggi's murder, and that Washington also made mistakes. Jubeir told Fox News on Saturday that he “didn't hear that particular phrase" from Biden blaming crown prince.

Im: AP