Canadian spy chief has heard audio of murder of Khashoggi, says CSIS

PARIS — Canada’s spy chief travelled to Turkey at the request of the prime minister and heard a recording of the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service says.

CSIS director David Vigneault “has listened to the audio tapes in question” and provided a briefing to Justin Trudeau and other Canadian officials upon his return, said John Townsend, a spokesman for the intelligence service.

Trudeau said Monday in Paris he has not personally heard the recording that Turkish officials have also provided to allies such as the U.S. and Britain in recent days, though he said he had been told about its contents.

“Canada has been fully briefed up on what Turkey had to share,” Trudeau said during a press conference at the Canadian Embassy in Paris.

The development is the latest piece of a gradually unfolding investigation into the death that has reverberated through the international community.

Khashoggi’s killing last month at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul further strained an already difficult relationship with Canada and renewed public outrage over Ottawa’s $15billion arms deal with the regime.

Canada has joined other countries in applying pressure on Riyadh to provide better answers about what actually happened to the journalist.

Khashoggi, a Saudi citizen but a resident of the United States who’s been critical of the Saudi monarchy, was last seen entering the consulate in Turkey on Oct. 2, where he’d gone to get papers to marry his fiancee.

His killing has prompted widespread condemnation, including from Trudeau himself, but the prime minister did not say how the recordings have affected his thoughts on repercussions for the Saudis.