‘Saudis to extend probe to Turkish officers’
Move comes after Saudi suspects confess they received support in Turkey
Saudi judicial authorities are reportedly moving to request the extradition of senior Turkish security officers whose names were mentioned by the suspects being questioned by Saudi investigators over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The officers provided support, assistance and various facilities for the Saudi suspects upon their arrival in Istanbul, and during their movement in the city, Erem Media reported yesterday, quoting well-informed sources.
The Saudi group, whose main task in Istanbul was to persuade Khashoggi to return to the kingdom, was making its moves with a confirmed follow-up by the Turkish security officers, the sources added.
“The Qataris were aware of the facilities provided by the senior Turkish security officers, and they were monitoring the actions of the group that carried out the operation.”
Khashoggi was killed on October 2 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, prompting Riyadh to launch an investigation alongside Ankara, and another probe inside Saudi Arabia, where 18 people were detained.
According to the sources cited by Erem Media, the aim of the questioning of Turkish nationals requested by the Saudi authorities is to ascertain the nature of the support and facilities provided by the Turks to the group, and to assess the level of Turkish security coordination with the group, whether upon their arrival or upon their departure, and the justification of such facilities.
“The Saudis also want to find out why the Turkish authorities did not take any precautionary measures, especially since the movements of the group were monitored by cameras from the moment of their arrival until their departure,” the sources said.
“The confessions of the Saudi suspects raised the suspicion of complicity of some Turkish senior security leaders in the crime, either for personal motives such as receiving bribes for their services, or because they were partners in the crime for unknown political motives.”
Tension in relations
The Qataris’ knowledge about the details of the Turkish security support to the group that carried out the crime raises suspicion and doubts because of the tensions in relations between Riyadh and Doha, the sources added.
The Qatari role may indicate the Turkish security facilities have political support, and that they may have been under directives from those high up in the Turkish government, the sources added.