SAUDI’S ‘CONSULATE MURDER WAS TAPED’
Horrific ‘recording of torture’
A HORRIFIC recording proves missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was tortured, killed and chopped up in his country’s Istanbul consulate, it is claimed.
Turkish officials say they have audio and video evidence that the Washington Post columnist fell victim to a hit squad after visiting the mission on October 2 to pick up a document for his wedding.
One person with knowledge of the recording is quoted as saying: “You can hear his voice and the voices of men speaking Arabic.
“You can hear how he was interrogated, tortured and murdered.”
The Washington Post said the recording provides “persuasive and gruesome evidence” that a Saudi team sent to Istanbul was responsible for its columnist’s death.
International pressure is mounting on Saudi Arabia to explain what happened to the former royal insider who became a fierce critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s regime.
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is said to be considering tough action.
Ex-International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said failure to respond, following UK calls for international action over the Salisbury chemical attacks, would be “hypocrisy of a very high order”.
He added: “I spoke to Jeremy Hunt on Wednesday and know he is deeply concerned and mulling over what Britain should do.
“No doubt he will speak out when more information is available.”
Turkey believes 15 Saudi men who arrived in Istanbul on October 2 were linked to the 57-year-old’s disappearance. Saudi Arabia denies involvement and says he left the consulate later that afternoon.
The journalist’s fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, who was waiting outside, says she did not see him re-emerge
Turkey has called on Saudi officials to provide evidence he left as they claim and a Saudi delegation has arrived in Turkey as part of an probe into the disappearance.
The repressive desert kingdom has called the allegation it abducted or harmed Mr Khashoggi “baseless”.
But so far it has offered no evidence to support its claim he left the consulate and vanished.
Crown Prince Mohammed, 33, Saudi’s heir apparent, has introduced reforms but shown little tolerance for criticism. Mr Khashoggi, living in self-imposed US exile since last year, has been a prominent critic of the regime’s war in Yemen.
SAUDI Arabia’s blood-soaked rulers were gravely mistaken if they thought dissident Jamal Khashoggi could be murdered without serious repercussions.
Details from Turkey about the journalist’s apparent hideous death intensify pressure on those who believed a critic could be killed – no questions asked – because the kingdom sells oil and is a major buyer of Western arms.
Saudi’s UK ambassador must come up with an honest, authoritative account fast or Theresa May will be unable to withstand calls to halt arms sales to this violent clique.
It would be impossible for Britain to maintain close relations with a regime of sordid tyrants who export international terrorism and execute opponents.