Turkey claims it has evidence of ‘who is responsible’ for missing journalist’s alleged murder
Turkey claimed today that it knows who is behind the disappearance and possible death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Turkey, which has also said it is in possession of audio and video recordings of the Washington Post journalist’s alleged murder, said “information and evidence [are] in hand”.
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"We have information and evidence in hand, resulting from the investigation, on what happened to Khashoggi and who is responsible," foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said, according to the Financial Times.
"When the result of this investigation clearly emerges, we will share it with public, because the world rightfully wants to know what happened to Khashoggi."
Cavusoglu also insisted it has not shared these recordings of events inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul with the US, after a report claimed Turkey played an audio tape for US secretary of state Mike Pompeo earlier this week.
“It is not in question that Turkey gave Pompeo or any other American official any audio recording,” he told media on a visit to Albania today.
Investigators are currently searching a forest on the outskirts of Istanbul for possible remains of Khashoggi, according to the Associated Press, as well as the possibility that they were taken to another city, as investigators work on the premise that he was killed inside the consulate on 2 October.
Khashoggi was last seen entering the building on that date. Saudi Arabia has denied any responsibility, according to US President Donald Trump.
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Meanwhile, Trump has taken a tougher stance on Saudi Arabia, saying “it certainly looks like” the missing journalist is dead, something that could lead to “severe” consequences.
He had previously said the alleged murder could be the work of “rogue killers”.
US Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin joined UK trade secretary Liam Fox yesterday in pulling out of a Saudi business summit due to take place later this month.