Khashoggi’s body parts found in Saudi consul’s garden.
Turkish officials have found some of the body parts of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Sky News reported Tuesday, citing unnamed sources. One source told the news network that the remains had been found in the garden of the Saudi consul general’s home. Khashoggi’s body had been cut up and his faced had been disfigured, the sources said.
There was no official confirmation of the report. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday said the whereabouts of the body remained unknown.
Erdogan on Tuesday called for the trial in Istanbul of the Saudi suspects in the murder of Khashoggi, a crime that he said was intricately planned days in advance.
Erdogan had promised that his speech in Ankara would give the “naked truth” about the killing and he gave a host of new details while still saying Turkey wanted answers to key questions, including who gave the orders.
Hours before Erdogan delivered his speech to ruling party lawmakers, a major Saudi investment forum opened in Riyadh under the heavy shadow of the murder after key delegates pulled out.
The murder of the Washington Post contributor has damaged the international reputation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has spearheaded a reform drive in the kingdom.
“My demand is that 18 people be tried in Istanbul,” Erdogan said in a speech to ruling party lawmakers in Ankara, referring to 18 people including security officials who have been detained by Riyadh.
He added that “all those who played a role in the murder” had to face punishment.
Erdogan said that the murder was planned days in advance according to a “roadmap” set up by a Saudi team who were sent to Istanbul for the purpose. The surveillance system at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul was deactivated on purpose, he said.
“First they removed the hard disk from the camera system,” Erdogan said. “This is a political murder.”
But Erdogan added he still wanted answers on numerous issues including “who gave orders” to the team and where the corpse is.
Erdogan did not mention Prince Mohammed by name in the speech but said he was confident of the full cooperation of his father Saudi King Salman in the probe.
Saudi Arabia only confirmed the killing more than two weeks after the event. It claimed Khashoggi died in a “fistfight” during “a rogue operation.” The kingdom sacked two top aides to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as well three intelligence officials and arrested 18 Saudi suspects.
US President Donald Trump said he was “not satisfied” with Riyadh’s explanations.
A former royal family insider turned critic of the Saudi crown prince, Khashoggi, 59, disappeared after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to obtain a document for his upcoming marriage.
The case has shone the spotlight on the crown prince, who was credited with reforms including giving women the right to drive but is now accused of having ordered Khashoggi’s murder — a claim Riyadh denies.
White House adviser and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, believed to have close ties with the crown prince, said he had urged him to be “fully transparent,” stressing that “the world is watching.”
Speaking in Jakarta, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir vowed “a thorough and complete investigation.” He said procedures would be put in place to “ensure that something like this can never happen again.”
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