Justice and Development (AK) Party spokesman Ömer Çelik
Turkey is probing the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the incident cannot be covered up, Justice and Development (AK) Party spokesman Ömer Çelik said on Saturday.
“The president is following the matter closely. Turkey’s independent investigation is ongoing. It is a very critical matter. There are speculative claims that a respectful journalist was killed. Such an action is an attack on all the values of the democratic world,” Çelik said.
Jamal Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, and fears have grown that he has been killed by Riyadh.
Turkey's investigation into the disappearance of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has revealed recordings made on his Apple Watch purportedly indicating he was tortured and killed.The report emerged after a delegation from Saudi Arabia arrived in Turkey for a joint investigation into his disappearance.The moments when Khashoggi was interrogated, tortured and murdered were recorded in the Apple Watch's memory, and the watch had synched with his iPhone, which his fiancee was carrying outside the consulate.Two senior Turkish officials previously told Reuters that Khashoggi had been wearing a black Apple watch when he entered the consulate and that it was connected to a mobile phone he left outside.US congressmen seek support for Khashoggi intel releaseHowever, it was not clear whether data from Khashoggi’s watch could have been transmitted to his phone outside, or how investigators could have retrieved it without obtaining the watch themselves.According to reliable sources in a special intelligence department, Khashoggi was believed to have turned on the recording feature on the phone before entering the consulate.Saudi intelligence agents had realised after he died that the phone was recording and they used his finger print to unlock it, deleting some files, but not all of them. The recordings were subsequently found on his phone, it said.On Thursday, Turkey said it and Saudi Arabia had agreed to form a joint working group - at Riyadh's initiative - to investigate the case. A Saudi source said a senior royal, Prince Khaled al-Faisal, had visited Turkey that day.Riyadh welcomes Turkey’s response to Khashoggi probeKhashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 to get documents for his forthcoming marriage. Saudi officials say he left shortly afterwards but Turkish officials and his fiancee, who was waiting outside, said he never came out.Turkish sources have told Reuters the initial assessment of the police was that Khashoggi, an outspoken critic of the Saudi government, had been deliberately killed inside the consulate. Riyadh has dismissed the claims.SPA said on Friday that Saudi Arabia's interior minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif, condemned the "lies and baseless allegations" against the kingdom, although he praised the joint investigation with Turkey.The Saudi delegation, which arrived in Turkey on Thursday, is meeting a Turkish prosecutor investigating the case as well as representatives from the Justice Ministry, Interior Ministry, police and the national intelligence agency, one source said.On Tuesday, the Turkish foreign ministry said the Saudi consulate in Istanbul would be searched as part of the investigation. IMF chief attending Saudi conference, watching for news of journalistTrump to call Saudi king to discuss missing journalist
Turkey obtains recordings of Saudi journalist's purported killing
“It involves the Republic of Turkey directly. This individual went missing on our soil. He entered the premises and did not re-emerge. It will eventually become clear how he went missing, what happened and who organized it. The disappearance of Khashoggi cannot be covered up,” Çelik said.
On the same day Khashoggi arrived at the consulate, 15 Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while Khashoggi was inside, police sources said. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.
Saudi authorities have yet to give a clear explanation of Khashoggi’s fate, while several countries -- particularly Turkey, the U.S. and the UK -- have expressed their desire that the matter should be elucidated as soon as possible.
Two congressmen are seeking to rally lawmakers Friday to call on the Donald Trump administration to release intelligence that could indicate it had foreknowledge about a plot to abduct or kill a journalist before he went missing.Representatives Ro Khanna of California and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin circulated a letter to members of congress that calls for Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats "to release information regarding the U.S. intelligence community’s advance knowledge of Saudi Arabia’s plot to capture journalist and American resident Jamal Khashoggi."Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul Oct. 2. He has not been seen since entering the diplomatic building as fears have grown that he has been killed by Riyadh.Khanna and Pocan are planning to send the letter to Coats next week.The Washington Post, which Khashoggi was a columnist for, reported earlier this week the U.S. intercepted the communications of Saudi officials that allegedly indicated Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman ordered an operation to detain Khashoggi.The letter the Democratic congressmen are seeking to have their fellow representatives sign on to cites an intelligence community directive which specifies the community is "to warn both U.S. and non-U.S. persons of threats of serious bodily injury, kidnapping, and intentional killing.""Given your office oversees the U.S. intelligence community’s duty-to-warn process, we seek urgent answers as to whether Mr. Khashoggi was in fact contacted about the credible threat to his life and liberty posed by the Saudi plot to capture him," the congressmen plan to write to Coats."Considering the profound ramifications of this potential crime, U.S. foreknowledge of Saudi plans to detain Mr. Khashoggi, and whether the U.S. intelligence community carried out its duty to warn, we intend to use the full force of Congressional oversight and investigatory powers to obtain these answers should they not be forthcoming," they will add.The State Department earlier this week denied the U.S. had any "advance knowledge" of a plot to abduct Khashoggi, but when asked if had a duty to warn Khashoggi if it did, spokesman Robert Palladino declined to answer a "hypothetical question.”On the same day Khashoggi arrived at the consulate, 15 Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while Khashoggi was also inside, police sources said. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.Saudi authorities have yet to give a clear explanation of Khashoggi’s fate, while several countries -- particularly Turkey, the U.S. and the UK -- have expressed their desire that the matter should be elucidated as soon as possible.Riyadh welcomes Turkey’s response to Khashoggi probeIMF chief attending Saudi conference, watching for news of journalistUS arms makers express concern to Trump admin about Saudi deals
US congressmen seek support for Khashoggi intel release
Saudi Arabia on Friday welcomed Turkey’s positive response to its request to form a joint committee to probe the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. “Saudi Arabia commends the positive response from our brother country Turkey to its request to form a joint expert team to bring the Jamal Khashoggi case to light,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said on its official Twitter account. “We firmly believe in the capability of the joint investigation team to complete the mission through cooperation.”The statement emphasized that Saudi Arabia gives great importance to the lives and security of its citizens no matter where they live.“Within the framework of close cooperation between Turkey and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and upon the suggestion of the Kingdom, a joint working team between Turkey and Saudi Arabia will be formed to investigate the case of Jamal in all its aspects," Turkish presidential aide Ibrahim Kalin said Thursday.Khashoggi was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul Oct. 2.On the same day that he arrived at the diplomatic building, 15 Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while Khashoggi was also inside, police sources said. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.Saudi authorities have yet to give a clear explanation of Khashoggi’s fate, while several countries -- particularly Turkey, the U.S. and the UK -- have expressed their desire that the matter should be elucidated as soon as possible.
Riyadh welcomes Turkey’s response to Khashoggi probe
Washington demonstrated "wrong stance" regarding US pastor case
Turkey did not give into threats concerning the case of U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson and Washington demonstrated “the wrong stance” regarding the matter, Justice and Development (AK) Party spokesman Ömer Çelik said on Saturday.
“There were days when stances threatening the government were displayed. We did not give into these. Turkey has a long history of prosecuting foreigners. Our president and Turkey did not give into pressure on any of our institutions,” Çelik said.
A Turkish court on Friday sentenced the pastor to three years and 45 days in prison, but he will not serve the time in jail. The court credited his time spent in detention, and ended his house arrest and travel ban.
A U.S. pastor was flown out of Turkey on Friday after a court freed him from two years of detention, in a step that could improve U.S.-Turkish ties strained by disputes over Syria, Iran and Ankara's planned purchase of Russian military equipment.Pastor Andrew Brunson was expected to land at Joint Base Andrews near Washington at around noon EDT (1600 GMT) on Saturday after a stop in Germany for a medical check-up.Brunson was jailed two years ago and had been under house arrest since July. He was accused of links to the PKK and FETÖ.The Turkish court sentenced Brunson to three years and 1-1/2 months in prison on terrorism charges, but said he would not serve any further jail time and freed him.US president to meet with freed pastor at White HouseBrunson, who has lived in Turkey for more than 20 years, denied the accusations and Washington had demanded his immediate release.U.S. Ambassador Richard Grenell greeted Brunson and his wife during a refueling stop in Germany, the envoy said on social network Twitter."He’s almost home thanks to @realDonaldTrump," Grenell wrote. "When I presented him with the US flag, he immediately kissed it."President Donald Trump said Brunson would probably visit the White House Oval Office on Saturday.US military expected to fly freed American pastor from TurkeyAsked if U.S. sanctions imposed on Turkey to try to win Brunson's release might be lifted, Trump said no agreement was made for the pastor's freedom."There was no deal made at all. There was no deal. But we're very happy to have him and have him in good shape." Trump told reporters in Cincinnati.'GREAT CHRISTIAN'Dressed in a black suit, white shirt and red tie, Brunson wept as the court decision was announced, witnesses said. Before the judge's ruling, he had told the court: "I am an innocent man. I love Jesus. I love Turkey."Witnesses told the court in the western town of Aliaga that testimony against the pastor attributed to them was inaccurate.Trump cites hard work in US pastor Brunson caseBrunson's mother told Reuters she and his father were elated at the news. "We are overjoyed that God has answered the prayers of so many people around the world," she said by telephone from her home in Black Mountain, North Carolina.Trump has used the Brunson case to try to score points with evangelical Christians, a large part of his political base, ahead of the Nov. 6 congressional elections, which will determine whether Republicans keep control of Congress.He has called Brunson, a native of North Carolina, a "great Christian", and Vice President Mike Pence, the White House's top emissary to evangelicals, had urged Americans to pray for Brunson."We thank God for answered prayers and commend the efforts of @SecPompeo & @StateDept in supporting Pastor Brunson and his family during this difficult time," Pence said on Twitter. "@SecondLady and I look forward to welcoming Pastor Brunson and his courageous wife Norine back to the USA!"Turkish court rules to release US pastor BrunsonNATO ALLIESRelations between the two NATO allies have been under serious strain over U.S. support for the YPG/PKK in northern Syria, Turkey's plans to buy a Russian missile defence system, and the U.S. jailing of an executive at a Turkish state bank in an Iran sanctions-busting case.The release of Brunson could help ease tensions, but political analysts say many unresolved problems remain."This is a necessary but far from sufficient step to reverse what has been a deepening rift between the United States and Turkey, two NATO allies," said Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.Ankara has demanded that the United States extradite FETÖ leader Fetullah Gülen to Turkey. FETÖ terrorists are led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gülen, who orchestrated Turkey's July 15 coup attempt and is the mastermind behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
US pastor Brunson leaves Turkey, due in US Saturday
“Turkey’s stance, which is based on national honor and its national interests, has been put forth. Had this decision been made as a result of pressure, the move would have been made when sanctions were threatened. Economic attacks unseen in Turkey’s history were conducted, yet we did not give into these,” Çelik said.
Brunson was arrested on Dec. 9, 2016 on charges of being member of Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ). On July 25, citing Brunson's health problems, an Izmir court ordered him moved from jail to house arrest.
Brunson's charges include spying for the PKK -- listed as a terrorist group by both the U.S. and Turkey -- and FETÖ, the group behind the defeated coup attempt in Turkey of July 2016.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday he will receive American pastor Andrew Brunson at the White House once he arrives in the country.“So we have good news. Pastor Andrew Brunson is in the air, from Turkey. He is, I think, in good shape. He’ll be stopping, most likely, in Germany for a full check-up," Trump told reporters following the release of Brunson, who was sentenced in western Turkey over terror-related charges."And he’s going to be coming to the Oval Office, most likely on Saturday," he added, noting there was no deal made for his release.A Turkish court sentenced the pastor to three years and 45 days in prison Friday, but he will not serve time in jail. The court credited his time spent in detention and ended his house arrest and travel ban.Brunson was arrested on Dec. 9, 2016 on charges of being a member of the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO). On July 25 of this year, citing Brunson's health problems, a court in the city of Izmir ordered him moved from jail to house arrest.Brunson's charges include spying for the PKK -- listed as a terrorist group by both the U.S. and Turkey -- and FETO, the group behind the defeated coup attempt in Turkey of July 2016.Turkey and the U.S. have faced rocky relations following Washington’s imposition of sanctions over Brunson's detention.Political tensions between the two countries sparked worries in financial markets after Trump threatened to use economic pressure to secure Brunson's release.US military expected to fly freed American pastor from TurkeyAmerican pastor en route home to US: lawyerTrump cites hard work in US pastor Brunson case
US president to meet with freed pastor at White House
“The U.S. administration has put forth the wrong stance. The U.S. administration should derive a lesson from this. Turkey has in no way made concessions or taken a step back,” Çelik said.
Turkey and the U.S. have faced rocky relations following Washington’s imposition of sanctions over Brunson's detention.
Political tensions between the two countries sparked worries in the markets after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to use economic pressure to secure Brunson's release.