'Khashoggi's body disposed of after dismembering'

By Murat Kaya, Muhammed Enes Can and Basak Akbulut Yazar

ISTANBUL

Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's body has been disposed of after being dismembered, Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office said on Wednesday.

"Victim Jamal Khashoggi was strangled to death -- in a premeditated way -- soon after he entered the Istanbul Consulate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Oct. 2, 2018 for wedding procedures. His body was disposed of after being dismembered following his death by suffocation - again, in line with the plans," the prosecutor's office said in a statement.

The statement noted Turkish and Saudi authorities had come to a mutual agreement on carrying out a thorough investigation, revealing all details and bring the offenders and plotters to justice.

As part of the agreement, Saudi Attorney General Saud al-Mujeb along with a delegation came to Turkey on Oct. 28, 2018 and paid a working visit to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on Oct. 29.

During a meeting, the Turkish prosecutors conveyed to the visiting Saudi dignitary that Khashoggi was killed in Turkey and the country’s courts have a right to put the suspects on trial as per the Turkish legal regulations and the general principles of universal law, the statement said.

The prosecutors also reiterated the extradition of the suspects who were reportedly arrested in Saudi Arabia, it added.

In the same meeting, the Turkish prosecutors also inquired in writing about Khashoggi’s whereabouts and the “local collaborator” in the murder, as well as "whether they have any findings in the context of their investigation into the planning phase of the assassination",  the statement said.

The statement noted the Saudi delegation again visited Istanbul Prosecutor's Office on Oct. 30, 2018, and the same questions were raised.

"Saudi prosecutor said, 'Answers will be given on the same day [Oct. 30]'," the prosecutor's office said.

In response to the questions, however, the Saudi Prosecutor's Office sent a written answer to the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office on Oct. 31, without giving any information about “local collaborator” in the killing of Khashoggi, the statement read.

Earlier this month, press accounts quoted a Saudi official as saying the body had been given to a “local collaborator” to take care of, but no Saudi official has addressed the body’s whereabouts on record.

In the letter, Istanbul’s chief public prosecutor and a Turkish delegation were also invited to Saudi Arabia, along with the evidence they have obtained, as part of the probe, it added.

According to Turkish prosecutor’s office, the Saudi letter said Khasoggi’s body can be located after the joint investigation works in Saudi Arabia and that it can also be ascertained if the murder was premeditated.

The Turkish public prosecutor's office said they could not achieve concrete results from these talks despite the office's good intentions to uncover the truth behind the killing.

Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office shared following information:

1- Victim Jamal Khashoggi was strangled to death -- in a premeditated way -- soon after he entered the Saudi Consulate building on Oct. 2, 2018 for wedding procedures.

2- Khashoggi's body has been disposed of after being dismembered in premeditated way.

As a result, the probe continues that was launched after a relative of Khashoggi called the competent authorities as he didn't leave the consulate for quite a long time, the statement added.

Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and columnist for The Washington Post, went missing after entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.

After initially saying he had left the consulate alive, the Saudi administration admitted weeks later he had died there.

The international community refused to accept the Saudi claim that the incident was not a premeditated murder.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that all details of the case should be revealed, including who gave the instruction for the “premeditated murder.”