Erdogan says Khashoggi tapes shared with US, UK and 3 others

ANKARA: Turkey has shared recordings linked to the murder last month of journalist Jamal Khashoggi with Riyadh, Washington and other capitals, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday.

“We gave them the recordings, we gave them to Saudi Arabia, we gave them to Washington, to the Germans, to the French, to the British,” he said in a televised speech.

“They listened to the conversations which took place here, they know,” he said, but added that they were not accompanied by any written documents.

Erdogan gave no details of the tapes’ specific content in his televised address.

Khashoggi was last seen entering the consulate on October 2 to obtain documents for his forthcoming marriage.

After repeated denials, Saudi Arabia finally admitted the 59-year-old had been murdered at the mission in a “rogue” operation.

Turkish pro-government daily Sabah earlier on Saturday reported Khashoggi’s killers poured the remains of the insider-turned-critic of Riyadh down the drain after dissolving him in acid.

Samples taken from the consulate drains showed traces of acid, Sabah said without quoting sources for its story.

Erdogan has accused the “highest levels” of the Saudi government of ordering the hit.

Some officials have pointed the finger at Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and some analysts say Ankara is keen to have him sidelined from power in Riyadh.