Erdogan: The Saudi Prosecutor Should Reveal Who Ordered Khashoggi's Murder?

On Tuesday, November 8, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the Attorney General of Saudi Arabia to disclose who issued the order for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the slain Saudi journalist, at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Erdogan urged Sheikh Saud al-Mujib not to exclude 'specific individuals' from his investigation. He added, 'Who sent these 15 people? As the Saudi Attorney General, you must ask this question and find the answer.' Erdogan referred to the 15 Saudi agents who entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, where, according to Turkish media reports, Khashoggi, who had gone there to obtain a certificate of singleness, was tortured, killed, and dismembered. Erdogan stated, 'You (the Saudi prosecutor) must resolve this case. Do not speak ambiguously; it makes no sense to want to protect certain individuals.' He emphasized that 'this issue must be resolved immediately; no excuses will be accepted.' The Saudi prosecutor, who traveled to Turkey this week, met twice with Irfan Fidan, the Istanbul prosecutor, and also visited the Saudi consulate for an hour on Tuesday. Riyadh officials have stated that 18 people have been arrested on charges related to this murder and promised a thorough investigation. Erdogan mentioned that Fidan raised the issue of extraditing the suspects during these meetings since the murder occurred in Istanbul. He also asked his Saudi counterpart who ordered the dispatch of this team. The White House stated that Trump is evaluating various options for responding to Khashoggi's murder. The Istanbul prosecutor's office issued a formal request last week, but Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi foreign minister, rejected it, stating that the suspects would be tried in Saudi Arabia. Erdogan also asked al-Jubeir to explain who the 'local accomplices' of the suspects were, to whom, according to Riyadh, the body was handed over. He added, 'Both the Saudi foreign minister and the 18 suspects must explain who these local accomplices were. Tell us who these individuals are to clarify the matter. We cannot leave this case unresolved.' While fingers have pointed towards Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, as the mastermind behind this murder, Riyadh has denied this accusation, and Salman himself has described Khashoggi's killing as 'barbaric.' However, Saudi officials have yet to announce where the body of the slain journalist is. Initially, Saudi officials repeated that Jamal Khashoggi had left the Saudi consulate after completing his administrative matters, but last week, under intense international pressure, they stated that according to Turkish information, the journalist was killed according to 'prior planning.' Khashoggi's fiancée, Khadija Chengiz, who was waiting outside the consulate on October 2, urged the President of the United States and other world leaders to ensure that there is no concealment or cover-up regarding this murder. She expressed dissatisfaction with the reactions of 'many world leaders' during a memorial service for the slain journalist in London on Monday. Referring to Donald Trump, she urged him to 'help uncover the truth and ensure that justice is served.' Chengiz stated, 'He (Trump) should not pave the way for concealment regarding the murder of my fiancé. Do not let money mock our conscience and trade our values.' She expressed a wish that she had gone to the consulate instead of Jamal Khashoggi. Khadija Chengiz, referring to the team sent by Saudi Arabia to kill the journalist, stated, 'If I had known that this was the last time I would see Jamal and his smile, hear his laughter, I would have stood in front of that team of killers.'