Thread: Turkey says journalist was murdered in Saudi consulate

Has this escaped to our attention? Wondering whether it will cause such an outrage as with Skripals?

Jamal Khashoggi: Turkey says journalist was murdered in Saudi consulate

Fears are growing over the missing Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi, after Turkish officials said they believed he had been murdered.

Mr Khashoggi, a Saudi national, was last seen visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday.
A Turkish official told the BBC that initial investigations indicated he was murdered there.
Saudi Arabia has denied the accusations, saying it is "working to search for him".

Mr Khashoggi has contributed articles to the Washington Post's opinion section. The Post said it would be a "monstrous and unfathomable act" if he had been killed.

An official of Turkey's ruling AK Party told broadcaster CNN Turk there was concrete evidence in the case, although none has yet been presented.

When was he last seen?

Jamal Khashoggi went to the consulate on Tuesday to obtain a document certifying he had divorced his ex-wife, so that he could marry his Turkish fiancée, Hatice Cengiz.

Ms Cengiz said she waited outside for 11 hours, but he did not come out.

he said Mr Khashoggi was required to surrender his mobile phone, which is standard practice in some diplomatic missions. He told her to call an adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan if he did not return.

"Jamal is not dead. I cannot believe that he has been killed...!" Ms Cengiz wrote in a Twitter post that included a photo of Mr Khashoggi. She added that she was waiting for official confirmation as the allegations circulated.

Read more
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45775819

As far as I know, Turkey hasn't provided any proof yet and haven't given what I would call a convincing explantion. In my opinion, it is more likely that he has been kidnapped and taken to Saudi Arabia. If he died there, it would be much easier to conceal it.

Originally Posted by Neverna

As far as I know, Turkey hasn't provided any proof yet and haven't given what I would call a convincing explantion.

He entered the Saudi Embassy and didn't come out.

What sort of 'explanation' or 'proof' are you expecting from Turkey?

Originally Posted by Neverna

As far as I know, Turkey hasn't provided any proof yet and haven't given what I would call a convincing explantion. In my opinion, it is more likely that he has been kidnapped and taken to Saudi Arabia. If he died there, it would be much easier to conceal it.

It would be easier to conceal if he died there, but you think it more likely that he's been kidnapped?
This appears to be contradictory.

In short, I am completely mystified by your logic here.

Turkish authorities are examining motorway cameras in the search for a black van they believe carried the body of Jamal Khashoggi from the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last week – one of six cars investigators say belonged to a Saudi hit squad thought to be behind the suspected murder of the dissident journalist.


Officials say the convoy left the consulate around two hours after Khashoggi entered. Security camera footage shows boxes being loaded into the van, which carried diplomatic number plates. After leaving the consulate grounds, three cars turned left on to a main road while the remaining three turned right. Investigators say one of the vehicles, a van with blacked out windows, has become the focus of the investigation, and was briefly tracked to a nearby motorway.


Nearly a week since Khashoggi disappeared, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stepped up his calls for Riyadh to explain what happened to the high-profile critic of the Saudi leadership. The Turkish president had struck a measured tone when pressed on Khashoggi, while allowing government officials and state media to drip-feed allegations. Details of the convoy were disclosed by the pro-government Daily Sabah newspaper.


“We have to get an outcome from this investigation as soon as possible,” Erdoğan said from Budapest. “The consulate officials cannot save themselves by simply saying: ‘He has left.’”


He said he was personally following the case but had no new evidence to table.


Senior officials in Ankara remain convinced Khashoggi was killed by a Saudi state hit squad sent to Istanbul to abduct or kill him, who were lying in wait when he arrived at the consulate last Tuesday afternoon. It was Khashoggi’s second visit to finalise his divorce, after being told the previous Friday that his papers were not in order. His fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, had waited outside.


Flight records show two Saudi planes arrived at Istanbul’s Ataturk airport on Tuesday and departed separately that same day, hours after Khashoggi was last seen.


Saudi authorities continue to insist they played no role in Khashoggi’s disappearance. They acknowledge that a “security delegation” was sent to Istanbul on Saturday but have not offered a reason for the journey.


Turkish investigators have hinted they know more about the disappearance than they have disclosed. Though wary of each other, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have traditionally tried to avoid public spats. The countries have significant trade and investment ties and vie for influence across the region. Erdoğan’s response is likely to become more pointed in the coming days if there is no movement on issues that matter more to him than the disappearance of a foreign national inside Turkey.


Khashoggi has been one of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s most prominent critics. A member of the Saudi elite, he had remained in exile in the US for much of the past year, from where he wrote columns for the Washington Post critiquing aspects of the Kingdom’s reform programme.


Turan Kislakci, a friend of Khashoggi, said the 59-year-old told him he had been invited to return to Riyadh by the crown prince to act as an adviser. Khashoggi had sought assurances about his safety from friends in the US before visiting the consulate and had asked Cengiz to contact Turkish authorities if he failed to emerge. She raised the alarm four hours later, by which time the convoy is believed to have left the consulate.


Turkey has an extensive system of motorway cameras that are regularly used to provide evidence in criminal probes. The disappearance has shocked many in Turkey and caused alarm in some quarters of Riyadh.


Calls for clarity from the international community mounted on Monday, with the US, Britain and France seeking explanations from Riyadh.


After six days of silence from the Trump administration, the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, issued a statement saying senior US diplomats had spoken to their Saudi counterparts about the case.


“We call on the government of Saudi Arabia to support a thorough investigation of Mr Khashoggi’s disappearance and to be transparent about the results of that investigation,” Pompeo said. A few hours earlier, Vice-President Mike Pence said he was “deeply troubled” and warned that “the free world deserves answers”.


The US president Donald Trump, a robust ally of Saudi Arabia who had pledged to stay out of the country’s domestic affairs, made more tentative remarks, telling reporters he was “concerned” about “some pretty bad stories” about Khashoggi’s fate. Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner maintains close personal ties with the crown prince.


Speaking for the first time about the allegations, a UK Foreign Office spokesman said: “These are extremely serious allegations. We are aware of the latest reports and are working urgently to establish the facts, including with the government of Saudi Arabia.”


The episode has put the UK in an awkward diplomatic position since it is close both to Turkey and Saudi Arabia. The Foreign Office would face charges of hypocrisy if, after its outrage over the attempted assassination by Russia of the former spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, it remained silent over an alleged murder by the Saudi government.


It would also put Britain directly at odds with the crown prince, who is a key UK ally. In his dealings with Canada, including a withdrawal of investment, the Saudi ruler has shown he does not tolerate criticism of his country’s human rights record.


France said it was seeking an explanation as to how an “accomplished and esteemed” journalist had vanished.


https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...y-saudi-arabia

I suppose with the amount of people Turkey has 'disappeared', it's well qualified to spot a wrong 'un.

They say the camera shows he entered the building, however, no footage about leaving the building.

That's not very strange. Similar non-sightings were recorded at other more spectacular events, weren't they?

If the used the acid bath or ate him there may be no remans to find

Originally Posted by david44

If the used the acid bath or ate him there may be no remans to find

To be expected from the savages.....

(DM) EXCLUSIVE: Missing journalist is ALIVE and being held captive in Saudi Arabia after being spirited out of Turkey in a private jet, claims source close to the kingdom's royal family

A Washington Post columnist who went missing after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul was spirited out of Turkey in a private jet and held captive in the kingdom where he may still be alive, a source close to its royal family has claimed to DailyMail.com.

More at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...di-Arabia.html

Makes sense to bring a captive home under cover of diplomatic immunity, and from there decide what to do with him or the body.

They've done this in the past with some 'miscreant' lasses.

^Quite easy procedure. The Russians have yet to learn...

Originally Posted by jabir

(DM) EXCLUSIVE: Missing journalist is ALIVE and being held captive in Saudi Arabia after being spirited out of Turkey in a private jet, claims source close to the kingdom's royal family

A Washington Post columnist who went missing after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul was spirited out of Turkey in a private jet and held captive in the kingdom where he may still be alive, a source close to its royal family has claimed to DailyMail.com.

More at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...di-Arabia.html

Makes sense to bring a captive home under cover of diplomatic immunity, and from there decide what to do with him or the body.

Not according to the latest reports.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-disappearance

Only the Saudis know what happened to her, and I doubt they're going to let on; but bit of a dumb move, to taunt the lion then walk into its den.

Credit

Why would it take two planeloads of thugs to cut up one man ?
Saudi productivity must be very low.

Originally Posted by docmartin

Why would it take two planeloads of thugs to cut up one man ?

...apparently there were weight issues to consider...

Still no discovery from Belingcat?

Originally Posted by docmartin

Why would it take two planeloads of thugs to cut up one man ?
Saudi productivity must be very low.

They're Saudis. They normally travel with housemaids, cleaners, butlers, drivers and gardeners.

Looks like he was killed as the Turks alleged.
But they have to be cagey because the audio recordings of the murder and subsequent dismembering would implicate Turkey of espionage within a sovreign consulate.

"You can hear his voice and the voices of men speaking Arabic," this person said. "You can hear how he was interrogated, tortured and then murdered."

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/new...ectid=12141922

Indeed. The Turks say they have audio and video proof (and reportedly so do the Americans now). Would be great to know where exactly it came from, although there was a report (speculation?) that Khashoggi was wearing a smart watch that sent audio to his girlfriends phone. However, she has said she thinks Khashoggi is still alive so if such 'evidence' from her phone exists, it would go against what the Turks are claiming.

Originally Posted by Neverna

a report (speculation?) that Khashoggi was wearing a smart watch

Not speculation, and only synched to her phone via bluetooth which was out of range at the time.

Originally Posted by Neverna

However, she has said she thinks Khashoggi is still alive

She was going to marry him. She will be optimistic.

Nevertheless, no jeopardizing any business with Saudi, as Trump declared. The American people would lose jobs.

After all, this is not as serious as cases with Syria, Iran or Russia and China. Sanctionizing them and losing jobs, mai mee panhaa...

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/11/u...key-saudi.html

If they had no oil who would care, I seem to recall little response from so called democracies when unarmed nurses were murdered in public in a city centre.

...Saudi media: alleged killers were tourists looking for hair transplants:

https://nyti.ms/2A8FR48