Erdogan Brings Nothing New: Saudi Officials Planned Khashoggi’s “Vicious, Violent” Murder

Local Editor

In a statement that came up with nothing but all the so far already uncovered facts about the murder of Saudi journo Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkish President Recep Tayyip said Tuesday that Khashoggi was the victim of a "vicious, violent murder."

The Turkish leader’s statement came on the same day as Saudi Arabia launches its Future Investment Initiative [FII], an investment conference in Riyadh.

"Whitewashing such barbarity will of course injure and wound the conscience of all humanity," he told lawmakers in Ankara.

Detailing the events that both led up to and followed Khashoggi's disappearance, Erdogan said there were "strong signs" that "the incident was not a momentary issue or a momentary result of something that happened on site, but rather the result of a planned operation."

He said additional information was being assessed by Turkey's security and intelligence services, but added that this points "to the fact that the incident was pre-planned, premeditated."

Erdogan, however, didn’t reveal any formal evidence during his speech.

"As it is now clear, there was a murder — and it was clear from the beginning — then why was there a slurry of incoherent statements? And now there's official acknowledgement there was a murder, where is the body? Why do we still not have the body?" he asked.

Erdogan questioned the Vienna Convention [on diplomatic relations] within his statement and the immunity it affords diplomats. While the crime happened in the Saudi consulate, deemed to be Saudi territory, "one must not forget that that area is within the boundaries of the Republic of Turkey," he stressed.

"Now our expectation is that all those responsible, from the highest level to the lowest level, will be highlighted and will be brought to justice and will get the punishment they deserve," he said, adding: "We cannot put the blame on a number of security or intelligence officials for such an incidence, it will not satisfy either us or the international community. The international conscience will only be satisfied when everyone is held accountable — the executors and the persons or the people that gave the instruction," he noted.

"It is very, very important that there is a truly impartial and just delegation that does the investigation that looks into what happened," Erdogan said.

"Since this is a political murder, if there are other people or circles implicated in other countries they have to be included in that investigation as well."

Erdogan further proposed that any trials of those involved, that he said totaled 18 people, should be held in Istanbul.

Source: Al-Ahed, News Agencies