The Latest: Corker says evidence points to Saudi involvement

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. and the missing Saudi writer Turkish authorities say was slain inside his country’s consulate in Istanbul (all times local):

2:30 p.m.

Sen. Bob Corker says he has reviewed U.S. intelligence reports on the disappearance of a prominent Saudi journalist and critic and “everything” points to involvement by the government of Saudi Arabia.

Corker tells The Associated Press that information he has reviewed suggests that Jamal Khashoggi was killed on Oct. 2, the day he went to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

The Tennessee Republican, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says he has also spoken with the Saudi ambassador to the U.S.

Corker says he was told that closed-circuit TV from the consulate was live only and did not record. The senator called that statement “not credible” and he said it’s now up to the Saudi government to clarify the situation.

Corker says, “the Saudis have a lot of explaining to do because all indications are that they have been involved at minimum with his disappearance.” Corker said “everything points to them.”

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12:28 a.m.

Turkish claims that a well-known Saudi writer and government critic was slain inside his country’s diplomatic mission in Turkey have put the Trump administration in a delicate spot.

Members of Congress have grown increasingly insistent in recent days that the administration get to the bottom of the disappearance of the writer for The Washington Post, Jamal Khashoggi. He had apparently drawn the wrath of the Saudi government, which has become an ever-closer U.S. ally under President Donald Trump.

Angry lawmakers likely won’t prompt the administration to turn away from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. But they could throw a wrench into arms sales that require their approval and demand the U.S. scale back support for the Saudi military campaign against Iran-backed rebels in Yemen.