Pompeo threatens to prevent MBS from entering US territory

SANAA, April 10 (YPA) – The  US secretary of State,  Mike Pompeo  has said that  the United States would prevent Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from entering its territory if he is found responsible for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi,

The move came during his participation a US Senate hearing for the 2020 budget, Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy asked Pompeo whether the administration in Washington is ready to apply sanctions against the Saudi crown prince in the case of the killing of Khashoggi.

The US administration “continues to work on identifying the facts” on the issue, he said, stressing his government’s readiness to apply the Magnitsky Act, which imposes sanctions against foreign government agencies involved in such cases “based on the facts.”

He pointed out that the US president, Donald Trump, has vowed from the beginning that his administration will do everything to uncover truth of what happened to Khashoggi and hold accountable the officials.

“We would do it as soon as he wants to travel here,” he said, after he was asked the senator again to answer the question about Mohammed bin Salman.

The US’s announcement came after the United States on Tuesday barred 16 Saudi nationals from entry into its territory because of their involvement in the murder of Khashoggi, including former senior officials of the kingdom’s government.

E.M