Turkey says Saudi consul ‘apparently complicit’ in Khashoggi killing

10 Dec, 2018 15:14 / Updated 5 years ago

Ankara said on Monday the world should seek justice for slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi under international law. Riyadh earlier ruled out extraditing two senior Saudi officials who Turkish officials suspect planned his killing in Istanbul. Fahrettin Altun, director of communications at the Turkish presidency, said Riyadh’s refusal to extradite the suspects would play into the hands of critics “who believe Saudi Arabia has been trying to cover up the murder.” Altun told Reuters that Turkey has seen “little evidence of the Saudi prosecutors intending to shed light on what happened to Mr. Khashoggi.” Altun said Saudi intelligence operatives, including an autopsy expert, traveled to Istanbul for the specific purpose of killing Khashoggi. The Saudi consul “was apparently complicit in this crime,” he added. Turkey’s foreign minister said last month Ankara may seek a formal UN inquiry if its dealings with Saudi Arabia came to an impasse.