From denial to confession in Khashoggi killing
Since Oct. 2 when Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi went missing in the Riyadh's Consulate in Istanbul, the statements by the Kingdom followed a rhetoric extending from "denial to confession".
Saudi Arabia initially claimed Khashoggi left the diplomatic building alive and they had "no responsibility" in the incident.
Cornered by pressure piled by Turkey and the international community since Khashoggi's disappearance and emerging evidence, it finally had to confess Khashoggi was murdered in the consulate and his body dismembered.
Contradictory statements
Ever since the day Washington Post columnist was brutally murdered, the issue has been one of the hottest topics of the global media.
Saudi Arabia has issued a number of contradictory statements. The evidence provided by Turkey and global pressure in this context forced Riyadh to withdraw and correct its statements one by one.
Despite that Riyadh insistently alleged that Khashoggi left the building, as a result of the evidence emerging one after another, it later accepted that Khashoggi "died in a brawl".
Having failed to unveil the murder of Khashoggi for one-and-a-half months after, Riyadh made another statement: "Khashoggi was killed by lethal injection dose, his body was dismembered and taken out of the consulate."
Due to the fact that Saudi Arabia made contradictory and unsatisfactory statements since the very beginning, the answers to the questions such as "who gave the order of Khashoggi's murder" and "where is the body?" remain a mystery.
The Washington Post called "shocking in its audacity" Saudi Arabia’s new narrative Thursday on the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.Previously, the Kingdom said Khashoggi was killed in a "premeditated" operation and later acknowledged he was killed after he entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul by a hit team sent to return him to Saudi Arabia.The Saudi chief prosecutor's office said 11 suspects had been indicted and the death penalty was being sought for five of them.The office distanced Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from the murder as well as his two aides alleged to have ordered the operation.In a statement, Saudi Deputy Public Prosecutor Shalaan al-Shalaan said an operation was ordered either to persuade or force Khashoggi to return to Saudi Arabia.Ahmed al-Assiri, a former deputy head of intelligence, issued an order for Khashoggi’s return Sept. 29, a day after the journalist's first visit to the consulate building.It was al-Assiri who formed a 15-member team, according to the prosecutor. He contacted a forensics expert to join it for the purpose of removing evidence from the scene in the event force had to be used.Khashoggi murder a very big mistake: Saudi FM"After surveilling the consulate, the head of the team concluded that it would not be possible to transfer the victim by force ... so the head of the team decided on murder," said the prosecutor."By offering up this incredible account, the Saudi regime is baldly defying all those, including leading members of [the U.S.] Congress, who called for full disclosure and accountability," wrote the Post's editorial board.Washington imposed sanctions on 17 individuals in connection with the murder, but the board said neither the crown prince nor Riyadh's top intelligence officials were among them.The Post said the new Saudi account revealed the operation was ordered by then-deputy chief of intelligence Ahmed al-Assiri and advised by Saud al-Qahtani, a court propagandist, who it said is close to bin Salman.Erdoğan adviser says Saudi Arabia trying to cover up Khashoggi murderRiyad did not say the two aides were complicit in the decision to kill Khashoggi and were fooled by their team’s claim that the journalist left the consulate alive."That doesn’t explain a portion of the audio recording reported by the New York Times, in which Maher Mutreb, a close associate of the crown prince, instructs an official by phone to 'tell your boss' that the mission was accomplished," it wrote.U.S. intelligence officials believe the “boss” is "almost certainly Prince Mohammed."The newspaper also urged Congress not to allow "this travesty" to continue."It should suspend all military sales and cooperation with Saudi Arabia until a credible international investigation of the Khashoggi killing is completed," it said.The cover story, it added, is just one "more instance of Mohammed bin Salman’s arrogant and reckless behavior."The true murderers of Jamal Khashoggi must be named and punished," said the board.Khashoggi’s body dismembered inside Istanbul consulate: Saudi prosecutor
Washington Post slams Riyadh's new Khashoggi account
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Thursday the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in its Istanbul consulate is now a legal case and should not be politicised, after the public prosecutor said it would seek the death penalty for five suspects."The politicisation of the issue contributes to a fissure in the Islamic world while the kingdom seeks the unity of the Islamic world," Adel al-Jubeir told reporters in Riyadh."We consider Khashoggi’s murder a crime and very big mistake," he said.Erdoğan adviser says Saudi Arabia trying to cover up Khashoggi murderJubeir added that there were still unanswered questions in need of answers, but Ankara had refused three requests from Riyadh to provide proof of their accounts of the killing.Jubeir said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had "absolutely nothing to do" with the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, after the public prosecutor said he would seek the death penalty for five suspects.Asked about possible international sanctions in response to the case, Adel al-Jubeir told reporters there was a difference between sanctioning individuals and holding the Saudi government responsible.Turkey not satisfied by Saudi prosecutor comments on Khashoggi: FM
Khashoggi murder a very big mistake: Saudi FM
An adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Thursday that comments from Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor were aimed at covering up the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, adding the Saudi probe was unlikely to find the perpetrators.Yasin Aktay, who advises Erdoğan in his AK Party, made the comments after Saudi's public prosecutor said the journalist was killed after "negotiations" to convince him to return to the kingdom failed. Turkish officials have said they believe the killing was premeditated."They expect us to believe the killers carried this out on their own. This isn't very credible. Everything is clear as day, but there is an effort to cover it up a bit," Aktay said.Erdoğan has said the killing was ordered at the "highest levels" of the Saudi government.Turkey not satisfied by Saudi prosecutor comments on Khashoggi: FMEarlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu also slammed the comments from Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor."I don't find some comments satisfying. They say this person was killed because he resisted, whereas this murder was premeditated," Çavuşoğlu said."Where is the body of the murdered Khashoggi? Where was it thrown, where was it burned?" he added. "Again, they say he was dismembered... but this isn't a spontaneous thing. The necessary equipment and people were previously brought in to kill and later dismember him."Çavuşoğlu also reiterated Turkey's call for Riyadh to disclose the location of Khashoggi's remains."Where is the body of the murdered Khashoggi? Where was it thrown, where was it burned?" Çavuşoğlu said. He did not say whether Turkey had evidence that pointed to the body having been burned. Turkey has previously called for an investigation into reports the body was dissolved in acid.Khashoggi’s body dismembered inside Istanbul consulate: Saudi prosecutorIsrael’s Gaza war part of bin Salman plot to distract world from Khashoggi killingPrince Salman’s right hand men the royal family fears
Erdoğan adviser says Saudi Arabia trying to cover up Khashoggi murder
No recording on his exit
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who quickly climbed the steps of administration after his father became king, also the highest-profile official from the Kingdom to comment on the issue, said three days after Khashoggi's disappearance: "My understanding is he entered and he got out after a few minutes or one hour. I'm not sure."
Khalid bin Salman, the brother of the crown prince who is the Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Washington, rejected the allegations regarding the murder of Khashoggi in the consulate.
In addition, the Saudi consul general insisted Khashoggi left the building but the cameras were broken, he even called journalists to the diplomatic building to prove Khashoggi was not there.
Turkish security officials revealed that 15 Saudi nationals were present in the consulate when Khashoggi was there.
Despite assertions by Saudi officials, who rejected Khashoggi was killed in the consulate on any occasion, told Turkish authorities they were ready to collaborate, they never rushed to make progressions on the investigation.
Riyadh said it had "nothing to hide," nevertheless it took two weeks for the joint investigation team, including Turkish and Saudi officials, to enter the building.
While the investigation squads were entering the consulate, Saudi Arabia's consul general Mohammad Al-Otaibi left Turkey under diplomatic protection.
The same day, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was being hosted by King Salman. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the official news agency of Saudi Arabia, Khashoggi's murder was not discussed. On the other hand, the U.S. State Department noted the king and Pompeo discussed Khashoggi.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who regularly evaluates the global agenda on his social media account, said: "Just spoke with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia who totally denied any knowledge of what took place in their Turkish Consulate. He was with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during the call and told me that he has already started, and will rapidly expand, a full and complete investigation into this matter. Answers will be forthcoming shortly."
'Died in a brawl'
In the light of evidence provided by Turkey, Riyadh, 18 days after Khashoggi went missing, unlike high-level statements by two sons of the king, had to accept that the journalist was murdered in the consulate of Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh admitted Khashoggi was killed during a "brawl" but the murder was not premeditated. No statements were made on the whereabouts of the body.
Saudi Arabia announced 18 Saudi nationals were arrested in connection with the murder.
Moreover, following a royal decree, Saudi Arabia discharged five senior officials, including Saud al-Qahtani and Ahmed Asiri, a royal court advisor seen as the right-hand man to bin Salman, and the deputy intelligence chief, respectively.
The same royal decree stated a "supreme intelligence commission" was established so that a similar incident would not occur and the crown prince would lead it.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir, in an interview with American Fox News, said Prince Salman had no "knowledge or responsibility" regarding the killing.
The U.S. on Thursday sanctioned 17 people tied to the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, including the Saudi Consul General in Istanbul Mohammad al-Otaibi.Khashoggi was killed at the Saudi diplomatic facility shortly after he entered the consulate Oct. 2.Saudi Arabia had offered shifting explanations for Khashoggi's disappearance before suggesting he was killed during a botched rendition operation by rogue agents.In addition to al-Otaibi, the U.S. imposed economic penalties on Saud al-Qahtani, who the Treasury Department called a senior Saudi official involved in planning the operation, his subordinate, Maher Mutreb, and 14 other individuals who Washington says were part of an "operations team" tasked with killing Khashoggi.All of the 17 men, Treasury said, were involved in the "abhorrent killing of Jamal Khashoggi.""These individuals who targeted and brutally killed a journalist who resided and worked in the United States must face consequences for their actions," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman was not among the blacklisted individuals, despite widespread speculation that the de facto ruler of the Kingdom ordered the hit on Khashoggi. But indicating that the actions taken Thursday are not Washington's final steps on the case, Mnuchin said the U.S. is continuing "to diligently work to ascertain all of the facts and will hold accountable each of those we find responsible in order to achieve justice for Khashoggi’s fiancée, children, and the family he leaves behind."The sentiment was echoed by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who said the actions are "an important step in responding to Khashoggi’s killing.""The State Department will continue to seek all relevant facts, consult Congress, and work with other nations to hold accountable those involved in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi," he said in a statement.U.S. persons are generally prohibited from conducting business with the designated individuals and any property they have under U.S. jurisdiction has been frozen.Saudi Arabia earlier Thursday announced it had charged 11 out of 21 suspects in relation to the Khashoggi's murder.
US sanctions 17 individuals tied to Khashoggi murder
Republican and Democratic U.S. senators introduced legislation on Thursday seeking to strike back at Saudi Arabia over the death of a Saudi journalist at a consulate in Turkey and for its role in Yemen's devastating civil war.If it were to become law, the bill would suspend weapon sales to Saudi Arabia and prohibit U.S. refueling of Saudi coalition aircraft for Riyadh's campaign in Yemen against the Houthis, Shi'ite Muslim fighters that Yemen's neighbors view as agents of Iran, the lawmakers said.Funeral prayer to be performed for KhashoggiWashington Post slams Riyadh's new Khashoggi account
US senators seek clampdown on Saudis over Yemen, Khashoggi murder
A funeral prayer in absentia will be performed for slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Mecca and Medina on Friday.Salah Khashoggi, son of murdered Washington Post columnist, said on Twitter the prayer will be performed in Medina following the morning prayer, as well as in Mecca following the Friday prayer.Salah said earlier that condolences for his father will be accepted from Friday to Sunday in house in Jeddah.Khashoggi, a frequent contributor to The Washington Post, was killed Oct. 2 inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.After weeks of denying any involvement in the crime, Saudi Arabia later admitted that Khashoggi had been killed inside the consulate but claimed the Saudi royal family had no prior knowledge of any plot to murder the journalist.His body has yet to be returned to his family, which has been requesting its return, amid reports that it was chemically dissolved.Dutch FM to defend arms embargo to Saudi Arabia at UNSCWashington Post slams Riyadh's new Khashoggi account
Funeral prayer to be performed for Khashoggi
Unsatisfactory statements
Late and limited statements by Riyadh did not satisfy the international community.
A joint statement by the U.K., Germany and France read: "There remains an urgent need for clarification of exactly what happened on October 2nd – beyond the hypotheses that have been raised so far in the Saudi investigation, which need to be backed by facts to be considered credible."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a few days later in a speech at the Justice and Development (AK) Party group meeting, drew attention to the contradictory statements by Saudi Arabia.
"In the light of the present information, these questions are puzzling everyone: Why did these 15 people, all of whom have qualities related to the incidents [meaning that these people had specific skills that could be used to perform the murder or erase/hide evidence], gathered in Istanbul? We are looking for an answer to this question. By whose order did they go there? Why was the consulate building opened to the investigation after days rather than immediately? We are looking for an answer. Why were there so many inconsistent statements while the murder was apparent? Why is the body of a person, who is officially accepted dead, is still not there?"
Emphasizing that Saudi Arabia had to clarify who the "local collaborator to whom the body was handed over," Erdogan stated that the 18 people arrested in line with the murder had to be brought to justice in Turkey.
Turkish evidence pointing to planned murder
Then, a statement by the Office of Prosecution published Oct. 25 on the Saudi Press Agency said the information coming from the joint working group of Turkey and Saudi Arabia hinted Khashoggi’s murder was "planned".
A couple of days after the statement, Saud al-Mojeb, the top prosecutor of Saudi Arabia, came to Turkey to discuss the murder with Irfan Fidan, the public prosecutor in Istanbul working on the case.
The CIA believes Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, sources familiar with the matter said on Friday, complicating President Donald Trump's efforts to preserve ties with a key U.S. ally.The sources said the CIA had briefed other parts of the U.S. government, including Congress, on its assessment, which contradicts Saudi government assertions that Prince Mohammed was not involved.The CIA's finding, first reported by the Washington Post, is the most definitive U.S. assessment to date tying Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler directly to the killing.The Saudi Embassy in Washington rejected the CIA assessment.Khashoggi’s body injected with clotting agent to ‘leave no blood trace’"The claims in this purported assessment is false," a spokeswoman for the embassy said in a statement. "We have and continue to hear various theories without seeing the primary basis for these speculations."U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, on a visit to Papua New Guinea, told reporters traveling with him that he could not comment on classified information."The murder of Jamal Khashoggi was an atrocity. It was also an affront to a free and independent press and the United States is determined to hold all of those accountable who are responsible for that murder," he said, but added that Washington wanted to preserve its relationship with Saudi Arabia.The State Department declined to comment.Khashoggi family receives condolences after Riyadh proffers murder culpritsTrump and top officials of his administration have said Saudi Arabia must be held to account for any involvement in Khashoggi's death, but they have also stressed the importance of the alliance.U.S. officials have said Saudi Arabia, a major oil supplier, plays an important part in countering what they see as Iran's malign role in the region, and Trump has repeatedly said he does not want to imperil U.S. arms sales to the kingdom.While the Trump administration on Thursday imposed sanctions on 17 Saudis for their role in Khashoggi's killing, many lawmakers think the United States should take a tougher stance, and the CIA's findings are likely to embolden that view.Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government and a columnist for the Washington Post, was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 when he went there to pick up documents he needed for his planned marriage to a Turkish woman.Khashoggi had resisted pressure from Riyadh for him to return home. Saudi officials have said a team of 15 Saudi nationals were sent to confront Khashoggi at the consulate and that he was accidentally killed in a chokehold by men who were trying to force him to return to the kingdom.From denial to confession in Khashoggi killingDEATH PENALTYTurkish officials have said the killing was intentional and have been pressuring Saudi Arabia to extradite those responsible to stand trial. An adviser to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday accused Saudi Arabia of trying to cover up the murder.Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor said on Thursday that he was seeking the death penalty for five suspects charged in the killing. The prosecutor, Shalaan al-Shalaan, told reporters the crown prince knew nothing of the operation, in which Khashoggi's body was dismembered and removed from the consulate.U.S. officials have been skeptical that Prince Mohammed would not have known about plans to kill Khashoggi, given his control over Saudi Arabia.The Post, citing people familiar with the matter, said the CIA's assessment was based in part on a phone call the crown prince's brother, Prince Khaled bin Salman, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, had with Khashoggi.Germany says many questions in Khashoggi case remain openPrince Khaled told Khashoggi he should go to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to retrieve the documents and gave him assurances that it would be safe to do so, the Post said.The newspaper, citing people familiar with the call, said it was not clear if the prince knew Khashoggi would be killed but that he made the call at his brother's direction.The prince said in a Twitter post on Friday that the last contact he had with Khashoggi was via text on Oct. 26, 2017, nearly a year before the journalist's death.EU calls for justice in Khashoggi murder case"I never talked to him by phone and certainly never suggested he go to Turkey for any reason. I ask the US government to release any information regarding this claim," Prince Khaled said.The Post said the CIA also examined a call from inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul after Khashoggi's killing.Maher Mutreb, a security official who has often been seen at the crown prince's side, made the call to Saud al-Qahtani, a top aide to Prince Mohammed, to inform him the operation had been completed, the Post said, citing people familiar with the call. Funeral prayer held for Khashoggi in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia
CIA believes Saudi crown prince ordered journalist's killing
No information on local collaborator
He left Turkey without making any statements, however, the Prosecutor's Office of Istanbul shared the details of the murder with him.
Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office made an official statement on the issue, saying: "Victim Jamal Khashoggi was strangled to death -- in a premeditated way -- soon after he entered the Istanbul Consulate of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Oct. 2, 2018 for wedding procedures. His body was disposed of after being dismembered following his death by suffocation - again, in line with the plans."
The statement followed that Turkish officials could not achieve concrete results from the talks with counterparts despite the office's good intentions to uncover the truth behind the killing, noting that Saudi Arabia provided no information on the existence of a "local collaborator".
Unlike statements by Saudi officials published in media regarding a "local collaborator," they denied "such statements" during their talks with Turkish counterparts.
Saudi Arabia seeks death penalty for 5 “unknown” people.
On Nov. 15, the Prosecutor's Office of Saudi Arabia made a series of statements on the murder, refuting the previous statements once again.
Shalaan bin Rajih Shalaan, a spokesman of the Prosecutor's Office in Saudi Arabia, said the body of Khashoggi was "was dismembered inside the consulate and transferred outside."
Shalaan said the order to repatriate Khashoggi came from Ahmed Asiri, the former deputy intelligence chief who was sacked last month, adding that the murder was not premeditated.
It was noted that 11 of the 21 suspects were to be tried on various accusations and the prosecutor sought the death penalty for five others. However, no information on the identity of any of the suspect was provided.
After confessing the body was "dismembered in the consulate," Shalaan went on to say it was handed over to a local collaborator and the Saudi officials would present the identikit would be given to Turkish authorities.
The spokesman put forward that the 15-man squad was established to convince Khashoggi to return to Saudi Arabia. He underlined that "Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was misinformed on the incident since the beginning."
According to a statement by the Chief Prosecutor's Office, Asiri ordered the commander of the squad -- whose name is not made public -- to bring Khashoggi back to Saudi Arabia, either by convincing or force.
The mission commander formed the team that would provide negotiations, intelligence and logistics and got in contact with forensic experts to erase the details of the operation if force was to be used.
The squad commander, according to the statement by the prosecutor's office, decided to kill Khashoggi if the negotiations failed.
"The investigation has concluded that the crime was carried out after a physical altercation with the victim took place, where he was forcibly restrained and injected with a large amount of a certain drug resulting in an overdose that led to his death,"
"The investigation has identified those that ordered and carried out the murder, totaling 5 individuals that have confessed to the murder and their statements squared," the statement read.
"Based upon the description provided by the individual who delivered the body to the collaborator, a composite sketch of the collaborator has been produced," it said.
The statement went on to say that one of the squad members disabled the surveillance cameras, noting that Asiri was given a "false report" suggesting that Khashoggi had left the consulate.
Questions still unanswered
Given that Saudi Arabia has followed a trend in which its previous statements have been refuted one after another, one might wonder how long these fresh statements will be valid.
The following questions are yet to be answered: "Who is the local collaborator? -- if there is one -- and "where is the body?"
On the other hand, the international press has repeatedly highlighted that the order of murder extends to the highest level in the royal kingdom and this is why Riyadh administration has stumbled that many times.
Also, that the Saudi prosecutor seeks the death penalty for five people whose names are not public is evaluated to be a move to protect the actual perpetrators.
The international community is still awaiting to learn who actually gave the order to kill Khashoggi and all those responsible for his killing, including the actual perpetrators.
Despite the first indictments in Saudi probe, many questions remain unanswered in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Germany’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday.Speaking at a news conference in Berlin, Christofer Burger, deputy spokesman for Foreign Ministry, said Germany was still waiting for a full disclosure and accountability from Saudi Arabia.“There has been some developments yesterday. That was a first step. However, many questions remain open, as it has been before,” he said.The Saudi public prosecutor's office announced on Thursday that 11 suspects had been indicted for murdering Khashoggi inside Saudi Arabia’s Istanbul Consulate. It called for death penalty against five suspects.The prosecutors absolved Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of any blame for the murder.Burger underlined that Germany expected a full and transparent investigation in line with the international standards.“The murder of Khashoggi must be completely and thoroughly investigated. We expect that those responsible for the killing would be held accountable,” he added.Khashoggi, a Saudi national and columnist for The Washington Post, was killed on Oct. 2 inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.After weeks of denying involvement, the kingdom admitted that Khashoggi had been killed at the consulate but claimed that the Saudi royal family had no prior knowledge of a plot to murder him.So far, 21 people, including security officers, have been arrested in Saudi Arabia in connection with the murder.
Germany says many questions in Khashoggi case remain open
The European Union on Friday called for justice in the murder case of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.“For all those responsible for this killing, due process will of course be an important element to ensure justice in this case which is something that family, friends, and the international community have been asking for weeks now,” the European Commission spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic said.When asked if the EU plans to take a similar step as the U.S. decided to sanction 17 people tied to the murder of Khashoggi, Kocijancic said that the bloc has "been very vocal on the Khashoggi case from the very beginning.”Funeral prayer held for Khashoggi in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia“Together with the international partners we will also continue to stress the fact that the measures need to be put in place in order to ensure that such crimes do not happen again,” she added.On Thursday, the U.S. imposed sanctions on 17 people, including the Saudi Consul General in Istanbul Mohammad al-Otaibi.Khashoggi was killed at the Saudi diplomatic facility shortly after he entered the consulate Oct. 2.Turkey says will not link fate of FETÖ leader Gülen to KhashoggiSaudi Arabia had offered shifting explanations for Khashoggi's disappearance before suggesting he was killed during a botched rendition operation by rogue agents.Kocijancic said that the EU has asked Saudi authorities to have a “credible and transparent investigation.”Germany says many questions in Khashoggi case remain openUS sanctions 17 individuals tied to Khashoggi murder
EU calls for justice in Khashoggi murder case
A funeral prayer in absentia for slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi is set be held in Istanbul on Friday.Yasin Aktay, an advisor to Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, said prior to the event that Khashoggi would receive a "worthy" funeral prayer now that his death had been confirmed."This is definitely not the only duty we have towards him. We will continue to bear witness to all that he sought for us to see," Aktay added.He underlined that Turkey’s reputation was the actual target in the journalist’s killing with the aim to portray it as if it were an unsafe and unreliable country.Funeral prayer held for Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia"Through a small precaution he took thanks to his foresight, he ensured that this conspiracy backfired on its plotters. In this sense, he died protecting Turkey from one of the most dangerous attacks it has faced in its history," he said.Khashoggi, a frequent contributor to The Washington Post, was killed Oct. 2 inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.After weeks of denying any involvement in the crime, Saudi Arabia later admitted that Khashoggi had been killed inside the consulate but claimed the Saudi royal family had no prior knowledge of any plot to murder the journalist.His body has yet to be returned to his family, which has been requesting its return, amid reports that it was chemically dissolved.The absentee funeral prayer is to be held in Istanbul's Fatih Mosque.Turkey says will not link fate of FETÖ leader Gülen to KhashoggiUS sanctions 17 individuals tied to Khashoggi murder
Absentee funeral prayer for Khashoggi due in Istanbul
A funeral prayer for slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi was held at Istanbul's Fatih Mosque and Ankara's Kocatepe Mosque in Turkey after Friday prayer.The Istanbul ceremony was widely attended by activists and political figures calling for unity and justice for the journalist.Yasin Aktay, an adviser to the Turkish president and close friend of Khashoggi, delivered a speech."We will continue to search for the truth. We do not seek revenge in our search but only justice. There is no chance to have a court proceeding that is independent from the crown prince in Saudi Arabia," Aktay said."What we heard yesterday from the Saudi public prosecutor is not the justice we were expecting or waiting for, but represents injustice itself," said Ayman Nour, a liberal Egyptian politician.Video: Absentee funeral prayer for Khashoggi in IstanbulTens of thousands of worshippers at Mecca's Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, Khashoggi's hometown, joined in prayers for the deceased, though the imams did not name him.Salah, Khashoggi's son was among those who attended the funeral prayer in absentia (salat al-ghaeb) held in Medina.Members of the Khashoggi family, meanwhile, will accept condolences at their Jeddah residence until Sunday.Khashoggi’s body, meanwhile, remains unaccounted for amid reports that it was disposed of by his killers.Galeri: Funeral for Khashoggi held at iconic Istanbul mosque"He was killed very unjustly"At least 600 people performed a funeral prayer in absentia for Khashoggi at Jakarta's Abu Bakar Ash Shiddiq Mosque on Friday.Sheikh Yusuf Abdul Ghani, a Saudi imam who was on a visit to Indonesia as part of a humanitarian relief organization, led the prayer."We will perform funeral prayer for the martyred Jamal Khashoggi. He was killed very unjustly," said Abdul Ghani."We pray for him to get ease, for Allah to forgive his sins and make those who killed him pay the price," he added.US sanctions 17 individuals tied to Khashoggi murderKhashoggi, a frequent contributor to The Washington Post, was killed Oct. 2 inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.After weeks of denying any involvement in the crime, Saudi Arabia later admitted that Khashoggi had been killed inside the consulate but claimed the Saudi royal family had no prior knowledge of any plot to murder the journalist.On Thursday, Saudi Arabia’s chief prosecutor’s office announced it had charged 11 out of 21 suspects in relation to the murder, seeking the death penalty for five of the suspects.US senators seek clampdown on Saudis over Yemen, Khashoggi murderDutch FM to defend arms embargo to Saudi Arabia at UNSCWashington Post slams Riyadh's new Khashoggi account
Funeral prayer held for Khashoggi in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia