‘Saudi journo was killed in minutes’

NEWSPAPER: PUBLISHES AUDIO RECORDINGS OF TORTURE

Khashoggi was ‘beheaded and dismembered by his killers’.

Washington

Turkey has not shared with the US government or key European allies graphic audio or video evidence it allegedly collected on US-based Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s visit to Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul, seven US and European security officials told Reuters.

Two weeks after Khashoggi’s disappearance on October 2, the US and allies have collected some intelligence through their own sources and methods, which partly confirms news reports based on leaks of audio recordings, four of the sources said.

The sources, who requested anonymity, spoke with Reuters on Tuesday and yesterday.

Turkish pro-government newspaper Yeni Safak yesterday published what it said were details from audio recordings purportedly documenting Khashoggi’s torture and interrogation.

It reported that his torturers severed his fingers during an interrogation, and that Khashoggi was killed within minutes. According to the report, his body was later beheaded and dismembered by his killers.

A New York Times report yesterday cited a senior Turkish official confirming the details published by Yeni Safak.

Two Turkish government officials contacted by Reuters declined to confirm the report.

Turkish sources told Reuters earlier this week that the authorities have an audio recording indicating that Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate and that they were sharing it with countries including Saudi Arabia and the US.

The reluctance of the Turks to turn over hard evidence they have said they have documenting Khashoggi’s fate has led US and European security officials to assess that the most brutal accounts of Khashoggi’s demise are likely accurate, the sources said.

US President Donald Trump appeared to confirm the lack of evidence in US hands when he said yesterday that the US had asked Turkey for any audio or video evidence it may have related to Khashoggi.

“We have asked for it, if it exists ... I’m not sure yet that it exists, probably does, possibly does,” Trump said.

“I’ll have a full report on that from Mike [Pompeo] when he comes back [from Turkey] ... That’s going to be the first question I ask.”

The US secretary of state has said Riyadh should be given a few more days to complete an investigation into Khashoggi.

Khashoggi. a prominent critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Saudi policies, was a columnist for the Washington Post who was living in the US. He vanished after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to get marriage documents. – Reuters