Turkish Media Names Alleged Killers of Saudi Journalist

Ankara: The Turkish media on Wednesday revealed the identities of 15 Saudi Arabian nationals who were allegedly involved in the disappearance of a Saudi journalist at his country’s consulate in Istanbul a week ago. Jamal Khashoggi went to the Saudi consulate on October 2 for routine paperwork and never emerged, with Turkish press claiming the journalist was either kidnapped or murdered inside the consulate. Saudi Arabia has denied the charges.

Turkish newspaper Sabah published the names of 15 Saudi citizens and images allegedly taken from security cameras at the two Istanbul hotels where they stayed as well as the times the group entered and left the country on the day of Khashoggi’s disappearance. Another newspaper, Hurriyet, claimed that a forensic military doctor was among the group while NTV television network reported that the consulate’s Turkish employees left the premises at lunchtime, just before Khashoggi entered, on the pretext that a meeting was to be held. The media claims remain speculation but the 59-year-old journalist’s friend Turan Kislakçi, a Turkish journalist, said he believed Khashoggi was killed for writing against the Saudi monarchy. Saudi Arabia has called the claims baseless but has not provided any security camera footage of Khashoggi leaving the consulate. On Tuesday, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry announced that Turkish authorities were to search the Saudi consulate in Istanbul but did not specify when. (IANS)