Saudi Consulate’s Turkish Employees Give Statements in Khashoggi Probe

Local Editor

Five Turkish employees of the Saudi consulate in Istanbul are giving statements as witnesses under an investigation into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Turkish broadcaster NTV said Monday.

Twenty consulate workers, including the consul's driver, gave statements to prosecutors in relation to the incident last week, NTV reported.

Meanwhile, prosecutors are seeking statements from a total of 45 employees, according to CNN Turk.

Khashoggi went missing on Oct. 2 when he entered the consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage. After weeks of denying knowledge of his fate, Saudi officials said the prominent journalist was killed in a "rogue operation."

Comments from Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir on Sunday were some of the most direct yet from Riyadh, which has given multiple and conflicting accounts about the journo’s killing on Oct. 2, first denying his death and later admitting it amid an international outcry.

Jubeir called Khashoggi's killing a "huge and grave mistake," but sought to shield its powerful crown prince from the widening crisis, saying Mohammad bin Salman had not been aware.

After two weeks denying any involvement in the 59-year-old's disappearance, Saudi Arabia on Saturday said Khashoggi, a critic of the crown prince, died during a fight in the building. An hour later, another Saudi official attributed the death to a chokehold.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team