Member of US House of Representatives, Ilhan Omar announced on Friday that she would introduce a bill to impose sanctions against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS). Her statement came after an intelligence report revealed that the Crown Prince approved the plan to assassinate journalist Jamal Kashoggi in 2018.
A newly declassified US intelligence report was released on Friday which revealed that Saudi Arabia’s crown prince approved an operation to kill or capture a US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi who was a vocal critic of MBS. The report escalated pressure on the Biden administration to hold the kingdom accountable for the murder that drew international outrage.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, in a press statement, said, “I plan to introduce a bill to place sanctions on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his role in this (assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi) and other human rights abuses.”
Calling it a long-overdue account of brutality and lawlessness of the Saudi dictator Mohammed Bin Salman, she said, “What was already apparent is now unmistakeable: MBS and the Saudi regime are directly responsible for the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Kashoggi and must be held accountable.”
Omar also called out ex-President Trump for covering up the brutal murder saying, “It is a dark stain on our nation’s conscience that the previous occupant of the White House not only collaborated with and funded the Saudi Arabian government—but bragged about covering up the murder of Mr. Khasshogi. But the corruption runs deeper.”
She also attacked the American establishment stating, “The United States should stand consistently for human rights and human dignity around the world—not just when it’s convenient.”
Saudi involved in 9/11
Rep. Omar also accused the Saudi government of being involved in the 9/11 terror attack and the American government of covering it up. “For decades, the United States has turned a blind eye to Saudi’s involvement in the worst terror attack on U.S. soil in history, September 11th,” she said.
We let our imperialistic aims, reliance on fossil fuels and Cold War mentality trump basic respect for human rights and our genuine national interests, she added.