Khashoggi body parts reports disturbing: Downing Street aide
DOWNING Street has described as “deeply disturbing” reports that body parts of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi have been found in Istanbul.
Sky News reported sources suggesting that the writer’s body had been cut up and his face disfigured.
The report came as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan contradicted Saudi claims that Mr Khashoggi was killed accidentally in a fight during a visit to its consulate in Istanbul.
In a speech to ruling party MPs in the country’s parliament, Mr Erdogan said that Saudi officials murdered the Washington Post columnist after plotting his death for days.
He demanded that the Gulf kingdom reveal the identities of all involved, and said he wants Saudi Arabia to allow 18 suspects to be tried in Turkish courts.
Asked about reports of the discovery of body parts, Prime Minister Theresa May’s official spokesman said: “We are aware of the reports. They are deeply disturbing.
“Our thoughts are with the family of Jamal Khashoggi, for whom they must have been particularly distressing.
“The location of Mr Khashoggi’s body is just one of the questions we need answers to and as such we await the full results of the Turkish investigation.”
Saudi King Salman has appointed his son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to head a ministerial committee to reform the country’s intelligence services.
Asked whether Mrs May was concerned at the appointment, the PM’s spokesman said: “What we are focused on is establishing the truth of what happened.
“More efforts are needed and expected towards establishing the truth in a comprehensive, transparent and credible manner.”
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt later joined other G7 foreign ministers in condemning the killing of Mr Khashoggi “in the strongest possible terms”.
In a joint statement, the ministers said the confirmation of Mr Khashoggi’s death by the Saudi authorities was “a first step toward full transparency and accountability” but that their explanations left “many questions unanswered”.
“We reiterate our expectation for a thorough, credible, transparent, and prompt investigation by Saudi Arabia, in full collaboration with the Turkish authorities, and a full and rigorous accounting of the circumstances surrounding Mr Khashoggi’s death,” they said.
Meanwhile a high-profile economic forum got under way in Saudi Arabia.
As the Riyadh conference opened, Saudi energy minister Khalid Al-Falih described the killing as “abhorrent” in his speech.
The forum kicked off without some of its keynote speakers after numerous Western executives and officials cancelled plans to attend over Mr Khashoggi’s death.