Saudi King’s slain bodyguard ‘may have had explosive dirt on Jamal Khashoggi’s killers’ before being shot dead in gunfight

THE king of Saudi Arabia’s slain bodyguard may have had explosive dirt on the killers of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Major General Abdul Aziz al-Faghm, a long time protection officer of King Salman, was shot dead at a friend’s home in Jeddah on Saturday night.

The 47-year old was widely seen as King Salman’s most trusted bodyguard and was affectionately known as his “walking stick” by court insiders.

But he had allegedly been recently relieved of his post with rumours swirling that he may have had vital information on the death of Khashoggi, The Times reports.

The 59-year-old Washington Post columnist was murdered after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul last October to collect a document that he needed to marry his Turkish fiancee, and never emerged.

His body has never been found.

Al-Faghm was gunned down following what state media described as a “personal dispute” by his pal at the house just a few miles north of the Saudi monarch’s summer residence.

A police statement, published by state news agency SPA on Sunday, said Faghm had a verbal exchange with Mamdouh bin Meshaal Al Ali, a man described as his friend, who then retrieved a firearm from outside and opened fire.

The shooter refused to surrender to police who had surrounded the site and who shot him dead, the statement said.

Another Saudi, a Filipino and five members of the security forces were also wounded by gunfire, the statement said.

'FULL RESPONSIBILITY'

Last night the Desert Kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said he took “full responsibility” for the journalist’s murder but denied ordering the slaying.

In an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes, the crown prince said that Mr Khashoggi's killing was a "heinous crime" and a "mistake" by agents of the Saudi government.

"But I take full responsibility as a leader in Saudi Arabia, especially since it was committed by individuals working for the Saudi government," Prince Mohammed said.

Asked if he ordered the murder of Khashoggi, who had criticised him in columns for The Washington Post, Prince Mohammed replied: "Absolutely not."

He added: "Some think that I should know what three million people working for the Saudi government do daily.

“It's impossible that the three million would send their daily reports to the leader or the second-highest person in the Saudi government."

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