Jamal Khashoggi Case: Turkish Police 'search forest'

-



Turkish forensic investigators have already searched the Saudi consulate and consul's residence

Police in Turkey investigating the alleged killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi have expanded their search, reports say.
Unnamed Turkish officials say his body may have been disposed of in the nearby Belgrad forest or on farmland.
Mr Khashoggi disappeared after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October, where Turkish officials allege he was murdered.
Saudi Arabia denies any knowledge of what happened to him.
Samples taken from the Saudi consulate and the consul's residence during searches this week are being tested for a match with Mr Khashoggi's DNA.
The latest reported search of the Belgrad forest, located near the city of Yalova, is taking place after suspicion was raised over the movements taken by Saudi diplomatic vehicles at the time of Mr Khashoggi's disappearance, officials said.

A map shows the locations in Istanbul that are being searched by Turkish investigators
Presentational white space

Separately, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo strongly denied having listened to an audio recording Turkey says is evidence of Mr Khashoggi's murder.
"I've heard no tape, I've seen no transcript," he said.
Mr Pompeo also strongly criticised ABC News, which had earlier quoted a senior Turkish official as saying that he had been given access to the recording.
"This is wrong to do to the fiancée of Khashoggi," he added. "This is a very serious matter that we're working diligently on, and so to put out headlines that are factually false does no one any good."
Turkey has previously said it has audio and video evidence of Mr Khashoggi's murder, but these have not been made public. Its foreign minister reiterated on Friday that Turkey had not shared audio recordings with anyone.

Visitors walk on a walking track in Belgrad Forest on an autumn day in Istanbul, TurkeyImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionPolice are believed to have extended their search to the Belgrad Forest

The incident has caused considerable strain between Saudi Arabia and its Western allies.
On Thursday, the New York Times reported that Saudi Arabia's leaders are considering blaming a high-level intelligence official close to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the killing. This, says the newspaper, is being viewed as a recognition of the international outcry over the scandal.
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and UK International Trade Secretary Liam Fox are the latest senior figures to pull out of a major investment conference in Riyadh next week.
The summit is being hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman to promote his reform agenda.
However, a number of major businesses - including Pepsi and EDF - are still intending to go despite growing pressure for a boycott.

What happened to Jamal Khashoggi?

It is not clear. Mr Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October, to pick up paperwork that would allow him to marry his fiancée Hatice Cengiz.



Media captionJamal Khashoggi: What we know about the journalist's disappearance

Turkish officials believe Mr Khashoggi was killed by a team of Saudi agents inside the consulate, and his body then removed.
Saudi Arabia has denied the claims, and initially insisted Mr Khashoggi had freely left the embassy.

Is there any evidence?

Turkish media with close links to the government have published gruesome details on the alleged audio recording, saying screams, and the voice of the consul, Mohammed al-Otaibi, could be heard in the recording.
The Yeni Safak newspaper, which is close to the government, quotes him as telling alleged Saudi agents sent to Istanbul: "Do this outside. You're going to get me in trouble."
Meanwhile, Turkish media say they have identified a 15-member team of suspected Saudi agents who flew into and out of Istanbul on the day of the disappearance.



Media captionUS Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the Saudis will respond in a "timely fashion"

However, Saudi Arabia says reports on Mr Khashoggi's death are "completely false and baseless" and that it is "open to co-operation" to find out what happened.
Several high-profile human rights groups have demanded that Turkey ask the UN to investigate the possible killing of Mr Khashoggi.
On Wednesday and Thursday, Turkish investigators spent almost nine hours searching the Saudi consul's residence, before moving on to the consulate itself about 200m (650ft) away, according to Reuters news agency.
Several vehicles with Saudi diplomatic number plates were filmed by CCTV cameras moving from the consulate to the residence just under two hours after Mr Khashoggi entered the consulate.

How have other countries reacted?

As one of the world's biggest oil exporters, Saudi Arabia has significant influence on the world stage.
The Dutch and French finance ministers, and the head of the International Monetary Fund, are amongst those now boycotting the summit.
US President Donald Trump told the New York Times it appeared that Mr Khashoggi is dead, vowing "severe" consequences for those responsible. Mr Trump said his conclusion was based on "intelligence coming from every side."
However, Mr Trump has also been accused of providing cover to the Saudi government.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said it is a pity that Mr Khashoggi has gone missing, but that Russia cannot damage relations with Saudi Arabia without hard facts.

Jamal Khashoggi's fiancée Hatice waits in front of the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 3 October 2018Image copyrightAFP/GETTY IMAGES
Image captionHatice Cengiz said she waited outside the consulate for 11 hours, but did not see her fiancé

Who is Jamal Khashoggi?

Mr Khashoggi is a prominent journalist who has covered major stories for various Saudi news organisations.
He served as an adviser to top Saudi officials, but later fell out of favour with the government.
He went into self-imposed exile in the US last year, and wrote a monthly column in the Washington Post.
On Thursday, the Washington Post published Mr Khashoggi's latest column - a call for press freedom across the Arab world.

Presentational grey line

Jamal Khashoggi disappearance: The key events

2 October
  • 03:28: A private jet carrying suspected Saudi agents arrives at Istanbul airport. A second joins it late afternoon
  • 12:13: Several diplomatic vehicles are filmed arriving at the consulate, allegedly carrying some of the Saudi agents
  • 13:14: Mr Khashoggi enters the building, where he is due to pick up paperwork ahead of his marriage
  • 15:08: Vehicles leave the consulate and are filmed arriving at the nearby Saudi consul's residence
  • 21:00: Both jets leave Turkey by 21:00
3 October
  • Turkish government announces Mr Khashoggi is missing, thought to be in the consulate
4 October
  • Saudi Arabia says he left the embassy
7 October
  • Turkish officials tell the BBC they believed Mr Khashoggi was killed at the consulate. This is later strongly denied by Saudi Arabia
13 October
15 and 17-18 October
  • Forensic teams carry out searches of consulate
BBC 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hon. Benedicta Ebuehi Felicitates With Gov Obaseki On Fifth Anniversary

-
Image
  By Suleiman Ugbokhe His Excellency, Godwin Obaseki, Executive Governor, Edo State The immediate past Executive Chairman of Etsako East local government area, Hon. (Princess) Benedicta Ebuehi has congratulated His Excellency, Godwin Obaseki on the occasion of his fifth anniversary as the Executive Governor of Edo state. In a statement personally signed by her and made available to newsmen, Hon. Ebuehi stated that ”It is heartwarming that your coming into office as Executive Governor of Edo state five years ago has transformed the state into a viable tier of government whose policies and programmes have continued to attract admiration and consultancy from your counterparts in other states of the federation." The erstwhile council boss noted that even in the choice of personnel to help drive the policies and programmes of the administration of the 'Heartbeat of the Nation,' Governor Godwin Obaseki has been meticulous, which has resulted in a peaceful, harmonious and seam...
Read more

Imiegba And Children Of Pa Akubo Esuka Celebrate His Enthronement As Ódegbé

-
Image
  By Suleiman Ugbokhe Pa Akubo Yakubu Esuka, the Ódegbé of Imiegba Imiegba Community, Three Ivie Clan in Etsako East local government area was in a celebration mode on Sunday, December 27, 2020, when the indigenes both home and abroad joined the children of Pa Akubo Yakubu Esuka to celebrate his enthronement as the Ódegbé of Imiegba. Pa. Akubo Yakubu Esuka was born to the family of Mr. Esuka and Madam Ogenikho about 104 years ago in Imiegba. In his quest for a better life, he left his birth place, Imiegba, in 1944, with his maternal uncle, Pa Etsekhumhe Ogweli for Minna where he did manial jobs for some time before he left for Kaduna with a single mission: To join the army. But it turned out to be mission impossible as Pa Akubo was not accepted into the army "for reasons I don't know," he says. "I then proceeded to Kano from Kaduna with the hope of securing a job. I was still not able to get a job." As the saying goes, 'no place like home,' Pa Akubo had ...
Read more

One Year After ... Hon. Princess Benedicta Ebuehi Remains The Toast Of Etsako East People

-
Image
By Suleiman Ugbokhe Hon. Princess Benedicta Ebuehi, Former Executive Chairman, Etsako East Local Government Area It is one year now since Hon. Princess Benedicta Ebuehi left office as the Executive Chairman of Etsako East local government area, a position she stepped into when the then helmsman, Aremiyau Momoh (Mbakwe), under whom she was the vice chairman, was removed from office by the state government two years into the three-year tenure. On assuming office as Executive Chairman, Princess Benedicta left no one in doubt that she was coming into office to serve the people of Etsako East local government area, and not to canonise, imperialise herself as was the case before her. One of the first things she did to demonstrate her people-oriented policy was the purchase and installation of a transformer at Awuyemi (Ward 5), to end years of darkness in that part of Okpella. It is very easy to gloss over this achievement but when the socioeconomic ripple effects of restoring power supply t...
Read more