Khashoggi recordings appalling – Erdogan

President Tayyip Erdogan said recordings related to the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, which Turkey has shared with Western allies, are appalling and shocked a Saudi intelligence officer who listened to them.

Khashoggi, a critic of de facto Saudi ruler Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed in Saudi Arabia’s Istanbul consulate six weeks ago in a hit which Erdogan said was ordered at the highest levels of the Saudi government.

Erdogan said on his plane, returning from a weekend visit to France, that he discussed the Saudi journalist’s killing with the US, French and German leaders at dinner in Paris.

“We played the recordings regarding this murder to everyone who wanted them from us. Our intelligence organisation did not hide anything,” he said on Tuesday.

“We played them to all who wanted them, including the Saudis, the US, France, Canada, Germany, Britain.

“The recordings are really appalling. Indeed, when the Saudi intelligence officer listened to the recordings, he was so shocked he said: ‘This one must have taken heroin – only someone who takes heroin would do this’.”

Khashoggi’s killing has provoked global outrage but little concrete action by world powers against Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter.

Erdogan said it was clear the murder was planned and that the order came from the top level of Saudi authorities but that he could not think such a thing of King Salman, for whom he has “limitless respect”.