Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Saudi aide accused of directing Khashoggi murder edges back to power

Saudi aide accused of directing Khashoggi murder edges back to power

Saud al-Qahtani, aide to Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is praised on pro-government social media

Three years after the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi royal court adviser accused of directing the murder is being quietly reintroduced by pro-government influencers as a patriotic figure who has served his country well.

Social media accounts that back the Saudi leadership have in recent months been posting tributes to Saud al-Qahtani, a chief aide to crown prince and Saudi Arabia’s effective leader, Mohammed bin Salman, in a move that is seen as marking his gradual return to the seat of Saudi power. Qahtani vanished from public view in the aftermath of the gruesome killing in Istanbul that shocked the world and almost derailed his boss’s path to the throne.

The close friend of bin Salman has also been seen in the royal court, from where he is accused of planning one of modern history’s most brutal assassinations inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, which was caught in graphic detail on listening devices planted by Turkish spies. “He looks very nervous, almost paranoid,” said one official who has seen Qahtani. “He is still trying to keep a low profile.”

Accounts of Qahtani’s re-emergence come as Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund takes formal control of Newcastle United football club after finalising a contentious takeover deal that has been staunchly opposed by human rights groups. The £300m deal is the country’s first major acquisition of a foreign team and biggest foray yet into global sports.

Qahtani’s whereabouts had been the subject of intense speculation since he disappeared from view in late 2018. The CIA and MI6 both believe he had been the central figure in the plot which saw Khashoggi, a former royal court insider turned critic, butchered inside the consulate by a team of government hitmen that he is accused of assembling.

His reported sighting and increasing mentions on social media accounts that support bin Salman appear to be signs that officials feel safe enough to risk reintegrating him to the heart of government – a move that is almost certain to be opposed by the US, which took a renewed interest in Khashoggi’s death after Joe Biden was inaugurated as president.

A spate of postings supporting Qahtani on social media started to appear in May this year from accounts that support the Saudi government. The posts became more frequent in July and August and have continued since. All offer praise for Qahtani as a “hero”, “patriot” or “leader”. Many posts have included photo tributes, while others have showcased videos featuring him with Prince Mohammed.


The posts have many hallmarks of a concerted campaign, which for such a figure in Saudi Arabia’s tightly controlled media environment would not be possible without the sanction of senior leaders.

“There is no question that Qahtani is back,” said a senior Gulf official. “The question is, did he ever really leave?”

While it remains unclear whether the Saudi leadership plans to publicly reinstall Qahtani as an aide, his re-emergence is bound to raise questions from the Biden administration, which has sidelined bin Salman and accused him of sheltering the main assassins of Khashoggi, including Qahtani, whom US officials have labelled a ringleader.

In 2019 a Saudi court cleared Qahtani of any charges in connection with the assassination. Five other members of the hit squad were given death sentences and four more sentenced to prison terms of 24 years. However, officials in the US, UK and Europe have since described the sentences as a mockery. The president of Amnesty International, Agnès Callamard, called the sentences the “antithesis of justice”.

Saud al-Qahtani had been a pivotal figure in bin Salman’s rapid rise and had helped cement his authority at every step. He had assembled the kingdom’s cybersecurity and hacking capabilities and was allegedly physically present during at least one rendition of a Saudi citizen from Europe.

He is also alleged to have been central in each of the episodes that won the new leadership infamy, including the round-up and detention of leading business figures, the hacking of Amazon boss Jeff Bezos’s mobile phone and a directive to hack two Guardian reporters in 2019. He is also accused of interrogating and menacing the Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul in 2018.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×