Washington, Oct 13: US President Donald Trump has warned Saudi Arabia of "severe punishment" if it is responsible for the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who is feared killed, that has resulted in global outrage against the kingdom.

Trump, in an interview to CBS News, said the Saudis could be behind the disappearance of Washington Post contributor Khashoggi.

The Saudi journalist has been missing since he entered the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul on October 2, and Turkish officials have accused Riyadh of murdering him inside the diplomatic mission.

Trump said Saudi Arabia has denied "in every way you can imagine" having anything to do with Khashoggi's disappearance.

"We're going to get to the bottom of it and there will be severe punishment," Trump said, according to an extract of the interview released on Saturday.

"As of this moment, they deny it and they deny it vehemently. Could it be them? Yes," Trump said in the interview, which was conducted on Thursday, when asked if Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia may still be responsible, and an investigation is ongoing, he said.

"There is a lot at stake and maybe especially so because this man was a reporter. There's something - you'll be surprised to hear me say that - there's something really terrible and disgusting about that if that was the case," Trump said.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Bengaluru: In a controversial statement, Chandrashekhar Swamiji of the Vishva Vokkaliga Maha Samsthana Mutt said that Muslims should be deprived of the right to vote in India.

The remark was made during a protest led by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh at Freedom Park on Tuesday, which was focused on the Waqf issue. Swamiji suggested that politicians were exploiting the Muslim vote for electoral gains, and proposed the introduction of a law that would strip the Muslim community of voting rights.

He claimed, "Politicians are doing all this for elections. Therefore, a law should be made to ensure that the Muslim community does not have voting power. This will keep them in their place and create conditions for everyone to live in peace."