Khashoggi was strangled, prosecutor says
Officials demanded location of writer’s body
ISTANBUL— Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi was strangled almost as soon as he stepped into the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul a month ago, and his body was then dismembered and destroyed, the chief prosecutor for Istanbul said on Wednesday, giving the first official explanation from Turkey of how Khashoggi died. The announcement came as the Turkish and Saudi chief prosecutors ended three days of meetings as part of a joint investigation into Khashoggi’s murder without progress and Turkey seemed to be ratcheting up its pressure for answers.
The killing of Khashoggi has raised tensions between Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Western intelligence analysts and Turkish officials have maintained the operation could not have been carried out without the consent of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Saudi Arabia has refused Turkey’s demand that it extradite 18 Saudi officials who have been detained in their home country in connection with Khashoggi’s murder so they can stand trial in Turkey. Mohammed sent his chief prosecutor to Istanbul for talks this week, but a statement from Irfan Fidan, the chief prosecutor for Istanbul, said the meetings were largely unproductive. Turkish officials had previously revealed details about the Oct. 2 death of Khashoggi, including the strangling and dismemberment, but always anonymously and usually through leaks to the Turkish media.
The decision to release infor- mation, on the record, about Khashoggi’s death was an indication of Turkey’s frustration with the failure of the Saudis to answer three key questions: Where was Khashoggi’s body? Had Saudi investigators uncovered evidence of premeditation? And who was the “local collaborator” who is said to have disposed of his remains?
The questions were asked and submitted in writing in meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, Fidan’s statement said. The Saudi prosecutor promised an answer Wednesday. Instead, the Turkish prosecutor was invited to visit Saudi Arabia with his evidence and conduct joint interrogations of the 18 Saudis who have been detained in connection with the killing. That response prompted Fidan to announce publicly Turkey’s conclusions about the cause of death.