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Saudi prosecutor in Istanbul for Khashoggi investigation: report
ISTANBUL, Oct 29, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Saudi Arabia’s chief prosecutor has
arrived in Istanbul as part of an investigation into the murder of journalist
Jamal Khashoggi, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported Monday.
Prosecutor Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb landed at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport on a
private plane overnight, Anadolu added.
He is expected to meet with Istanbul chief prosecutor Irfan Fidan and visit
the Saudi consulate where Khashoggi was killed.
The case has brought near unprecedented international scrutiny on Saudi
Arabia, which is seeking to draw a line under the crisis after offering a
series of differing narratives in the weeks following Khashoggi’s murder.
The 59-year-old Washington Post contributor, who had criticised Saudi
Arabia’s powerful Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, vanished after entering
the Saudi consulate on October 2 to obtain paperwork for his marriage to his
Turkish fiancee.
Gruesome reports in the Turkish media have alleged he was killed and
dismembered by a team sent from Saudi Arabia to silence him.
The Saudi prosecutor travelled to Istanbul after acknowledging last week
that the killing was “premeditated”, based on the evidence of a Turkish
investigation.
US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said Sunday that Saudi Foreign Minister
Adel al-Jubeir had vowed Riyadh would conduct a “full” investigation.
“We discussed it… the need of transparency, full and complete
investigation. Full agreement from FM Jubeir, no reservations at all,” Mattis
said following talks in Bahrain.
He added he was confident that the Saudi investigation would include
Turkey’s findings.
“Certainly Turkey with the evidence that they have compiled will ensure
that there is more than one review of what is going on there and I am certain
the investigation will include the evidence that Turkey has put forward so
far,” Mattis said.
Saudi authorities have arrested 18 men over the murder and President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan has requested they be extradited for trial in Turkey.
Riyadh has dismissed the request, saying they will be prosecuted in Saudi
Arabia.
The body of Khashoggi, who was once an insider in Saudi royal circles,
remains missing.
Erdogan, who has stopped short of directly blaming the Saudi government,
has called on Riyadh to reveal the location of the body, indicating that his
country had more evidence to reveal about the killing.
Prince Mohammad, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, has denounced the murder as
“repulsive” and denied any involvement, while the Saudi leadership has pushed
responsibility down the chain of command.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1307 hrs