Biden administration seeks extension to decide on immunity to Mohammed bin Salman

US President Joe Biden's administration has asked a US judge for 60-day extension to decide the matter of sovereign immunity to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the case of murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. US Department of Justice made a filing in district court. The department said that a "decision making process" had been initiated.

“The United States is diligently considering the Court’s inquiry but the process for doing so requires consultation among multiple entities within the Executive Branch with respect to complex issues of international and domestic law,” the filing said.

US government's request has been granted by the court. The request has been filed just days after Biden's return from Saudi Arabia where he met the crown prince along with other leaders.

Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist who was critical of Saudi Arabian regime and of Mohammed bin Salman himself, was murdered in a Saudi consulate in Istanbul. US government's unclassified report said that the crown prince himself ordered the murder. The de facto Saudi ruler denies it.

Saudi Arabian and American sides differed over what discussion took place between Biden and the crown prince.

A Saudi minister told Fox News on Saturday that he "didn't hear that particular phrase" from Biden blaming the crown prince. A Saudi official said that discussion over the Khashoggi case took place in an 'informal' way.