Khashoggi beheaded, says Turkish paper
US President Trump defends Saudi Arabia, saying critics have jumped to conclusions about the case before an investigation
ANKARA— Missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was beheaded at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, a Turkish newspaper claimed as the United States defended its Middle Eastern ally amid mounting international criticism. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shuttled from Riyadh to Ankara to deal with the crisis that is tied up to regional politics and alliances in the Arabian Peninsula.
ANKARA— Turkish media claimed on Wednesday that dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was beheaded at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
The Turkish daily Yeni Safak made the accusation as the United States defended Saudi Arabia with President Donald Trump saying critics have jumped to conclusions even before an investigation.
“I think we have to find out what happened first,” Trump told the Associated Press in an interview. “Here we go again with, you know, you’re guilty until proven innocent. I don’t like that.”
Diplomatic troubleshooting
Trump dispatched Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to address the crisis and the top US diplomat proceeded to Saudi Arabia to talk with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Shuttle diplomacy
Pompeo later proceeded to Ankara to meet with President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday following talks with Saudi Arabia’s king and crown prince about Khashoggi.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Pompeo would bring information about the case to Ankara, which is at odds with Riyadh over a number of regional issues.
Erdogan had earlier blamed Riyadh for Khashoggi’s disappearance and at least two progovernment Turkish newspapers have published apparent leaks pointing to Crown Prince Mohammed.
Progovernment newspaper Sabah reported last weekend that Khashoggi’s Apple Watch recorded his time in the consulate and it later synced with his iPhone which he left outside the consulate.
On Tuesday, Yeni Safak reported audio recordings revealed that Khashoggi was tortured before being decapitated inside the Saudi Consulate.
Khashoggi’s alleged killers tortured the journalist during interrogation by cutting his fingers off, Yeni Safak said, claiming it had heard multiple recordings of the incident.
Saudi consul implicated
The newspaper said Khashoggi, who became a Washington Post contributor after fleeing Saudi Arabia, was then decapitated.
According to Yeni Safak, Saudi Arabia’s consul to Istanbul, Mohammed al-Otaibi, can be heard on one tape saying during Khashoggi’s torture: “Do this outside. You are going to get me in trouble.”
The daily reported that in another tape, an unknown individual tells Otaibi: “If you want to live when you come to Saudi Arabia, be quiet!”
Yeni Safak did not say how the tapes came into existence or how it obtained them.
Otaibi left Istanbul on Tuesday for Riyadh ahead of a planned search of his residence.
Khashoggi vanished on Oct. 2 after entering the consulate for official documents ahead of his upcoming wedding to his Turkish fiancée.
15-man hit team
While Turkish police believe he was killed by a special team of 15 Saudi officials, Riyadh has dismissed such claims as “baseless.”
After meeting with King Salman and the crown prince on Tuesday, Pompeo told reporters that Saudi Arabia has committed to conducting a complete investigation into Khashoggi’s disappearance.