Saudi Crown Prince loyalists welcome US intel report on Jamal Khashoggi's murder

Supporters of Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman are welcoming the latest US intelligence report on Jamal Khashoggi's murder. Saudi commentators believe the latest four-page report released by the Joe Biden administration does nothing but consolidates that Mohammed bin Salman had no role to play in the killing of Khashoggi. Kingdom loyalists argue that the report is inconclusive and contains too many vague words such as "probably" and ''highly unlikely''. 

Read: 'Khashoggi Ban': US Announces Sanctions, Visa Ban On Saudi Arabian Citizens

The US government released the report on Friday, which blamed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. The report concluded that it is ''highly unlikely'' that Saudi officials would have carried out an operation without the Crown Prince's authorisation. The report claimed that since the Crown Prince is the one calling shots in the Kingdom and the team of hitmen who killed Khashoggi involved members of his protective detail, it is likely that the operation was approved by Mohammed bin Salman. 

Read: 'Unjustified': Saudi Arabia 'completely Rejects' US Assessment On Khashoggi's Murder

However, the lack of certainty and use of words that are open to interpretation, the report represents a victory for Saudi commentators and officials. The report did not bring any new evidence to the light, neither did it disclose what was previously unknown. Supporters of Crown Prince are calling the report 'Farce of the Year' and thanking the US government for discharging Mohammed bin Salman of the blame by publishing it. 

Read: Saudi Crown Prince Approved Operation To 'capture Or Kill' Jamal Khashoggi: US Report

"The Biden administration deserves the Saudis' thanks and appreciation for publishing the CIA report on Khashoggi ... Putting the points on the letters ... and ending cheap bids and gargantuan accusations without a single evidence ... and endorsed the same Saudi court ruling regarding ... and closed a door from which clear and concealed opponents would benefit from it!" a Saudi columnist wrote on Twitter. 

Khashoggi's murder

Jamal Khashoggi, a staunch critic of the Royal Family, was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. A group of hitmen arrived from Saudi Arabia to carry out the assassination job. Saudi Arabia denied any involvement in the murder before changing its story several times. Initially, it claimed that Khashoggi left the consulate alive, but changed it after a few days and admitted he was strangulated to death during a fistfight. It later emerged that Khashoggi was dismembered inside the consulate and his body parts were disposed of using acid. Saudi Arabia charged eight people and sentenced them to prison.

Read: Joe Biden Calls Saudi King Salman Ahead Of Jamal Khashoggi Report