“For a long time there were questions as to whether or not Saudi Arabia and other countries were sponsoring terror. You have absolutely stopped and I really appreciate that and the world really appreciates it.”

“It’s an honor to be with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, a friend of mine – a man who has really done things in the last five years in terms of opening up Saudi Arabia,” United States President Donald Trump told crown prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) of Saudi Arabia on Saturday during the G20 summit. “I think especially what you’ve done for women and seeing what’s happening – it’s like a revolution in a very positive way,” Trump told MBS directly adding “you have done a spectacular job.”

Last week Citizen Truth reported on the United Nations (U.N.) special report conducted by Agnes Callamard, a United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary killings, which laid the blame for journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder at the feet of MBS. But despite the U.N. report and global outrage over the murder of Khashoggi, MBS was welcomed at the G20 summit with open arms.

Excerpts from the U.N. report:

“Mr. Khashoggi’s killing constituted an extrajudicial killing for which the State of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is responsible. His attempted kidnapping would also constitute a violation under international human rights law.”

“The killing of Mr. Khashoggi further constituted a violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (thereafter VCCR) and of the prohibition against the extra-territorial use of force in time of peace (customary law and UN Charter).”

MBS Receives Warm G20 Embrace From World Leaders

The Washington Post detailed how MBS was welcomed by world leaders, despite the explosive U.N. report by Callamard which called for the Saudi crown prince to be investigated.

“Only half a year later, however, the crown prince is no longer isolated at the G-20. In the photograph of world leaders taken on Friday at this year’s event in Osaka, Mohammed was front and center — standing between President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the event’s host,” the Post wrote.

“David Miliband, former British foreign secretary and current chief executive of the humanitarian organization International Rescue Committee, said that the largely warm welcome of Mohammed and other supposed pariahs like Russia’s Vladimir Putin at this year’s G-20 reflected an age of impunity in global politics,” the article also explained.

The new normal of accepting authoritarian (Putin) and totalitarian (MBS) leaders at prestigious conferences risks emboldening other despots around the world to act with similar open disregard of the law.

Trump Helping To Build The Credibility Of MBS

A report by the United States Central Intelligence Agency found that MBS called for the murder of Khashoggi, but Trump bucked the report, casting doubt on it and adding credibility to Saudi Arabia’s claims of not having any involvement in the murder.

Despite Saudi Arabia pushing the far-right religious fundamental doctrine of Wahhabism, which has led to the global spread of religious-based terrorism, President Trump praised MBS for Saudi Arabia’s stance on terrorism.

“For a long time there were questions as to whether or not Saudi Arabia and other countries were sponsoring terror. You have absolutely stopped and I really appreciate that and the world really appreciates it,” Trump said.

Of note, 15 of the 19 9/11 hijackers were citizens of Saudi Arabia. Documents concerning the nature of their involvement with the Saudi royal family remain classified to this day. President Trump’s comments seem to excuse and forgive the actions of the family, which continues to run a totalitarian regime.