Saudi Arabia denies journalist was killed at consulate

Jamal Khashoggi was reported missing on Tuesday.

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Saudi Arabia denies journalist was killed at consulate

DUBAI – Saudi Arabia has denied Turkey’s accusations that missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

A Turkish official told Reuters that “the initial assessment of the Turkish police is that Mr Khashoggi has been killed at the consulate of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul. We believe that the murder was premeditated and the body was subsequently moved out of the consulate.”

In response, Saudi consul general Mohammed Al Otaibi gave reporters a tour of the consulate in Istanbul to show that the premises are clear.

Al Otaibi dismissed reports about Khashoggi’s alleged kidnapping as “baseless”.

“I would like to confirm that Jamal is not at the consulate nor in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the consulate and the embassy are working to search for him,” he said.

“The idea of kidnapping of a Saudi citizen by a diplomatic mission is something that should not be [propagated] in the media,” he said.

Khashoggi was reported missing on Tuesday after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The Washington Post columnist has been vocal about views against some Saudi policies, and is seen as a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood. GAD/Expat Media

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