Saudis ‘sent death squad to capture Khashoggi’

TURKISH media has yesterday published images of an alleged 15-member Saudi “assassination squad” and video of suspicious movements at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul following journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance a week ago.

Saudi Arabian officials have not commented on the images but dismissed allegations the team is responsible for Khashoggi going missing as “baseless.”

It has offered no evidence to support its contention that the writer left the consulate unharmed while his fiancee waited impatiently outside.

State-run broadcaster TRT aired video purportedly showing the Saudis arriving by private jet and then leaving a hotel. The footage shows Khashoggi entering the consulate on October 2.

An hour and 54 minutes later, according to the time stamp, a black Mercedes Vito with diplomatic license plates, which resembled a van parked outside of the consulate when the writer walked in, drives some 2 kilometers to the consul’s home, where it parks inside a garage.

The Sabah newspaper, which is close to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, published images of what it referred to as the “assassination squad” taken at passport control.

Khashoggi had written a series of columns for the Washington Post that were critical of Saudi Arabia’s assertive Prince Mohammed.

Erdogan has not accused Saudi Arabia of being responsible for Khashoggi’s disappearance but has said that if the Saudis have footage of him leaving the consulate they should release it.

Yesterday the Post published a column by Khashoggi’s fiancee, Hatice Cengiz.

She said the writer visited the consulate on September 28 “despite being somewhat concerned.” He returned October 2 after being promised paperwork so the two could be married.