Istanbul Prosecutor: Khashoggi Was Strangled and Dismembered at Saudi Consulate

The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor announced on Wednesday, November 1, that Jamal Khashoggi, the murdered Saudi dissident journalist, was strangled upon entering the Saudi consulate in the city and then dismembered and removed from the premises. Irfan Fidan stated in a statement issued two days after his meeting with the Saudi Attorney General that 'despite good faith efforts to uncover the truth,' the meetings held with Saud al-Mojeb have not yielded 'tangible results.' This statement is the first official confirmation from Turkey regarding the murder and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate. However, Ankara has not released any audio or video evidence that it claims to possess regarding the incident. Turkey is seeking the extradition of 18 suspects that Saudi Arabia claims to have arrested in connection with Khashoggi's murder. Riyadh has refused to hand over these individuals. The murder of Khashoggi, which occurred on October 2, has turned into an international crisis for Saudi Arabia. Riyadh is accused of attempting to cover up the facts related to this case. Saudi Arabia has claimed that this operation was carried out by 'rogue elements' and that officials in the country, especially Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had no role in it. Turkey: Khashoggi's murder was planned 'in a brutal manner.' Friends of Khashoggi, several American lawmakers, and many analysts in the media have identified the Crown Prince as the mastermind behind this murder. Saudi Arabia expressed ignorance about Khashoggi's fate for two weeks, then changed its narrative, first stating that he was killed in a 'fistfight' inside the consulate, and later admitting that his murder was based on 'prior planning.' Saudi officials have yet to disclose what happened to Jamal Khashoggi's body. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has asked Saudi officials to clarify the identities of the local assistants of the Saudi assassination group and the location of the journalist's body. Saudis had claimed that they handed the body over to a local person. In another development, a group of Republican senators in the United States on Wednesday urged President Donald Trump to halt negotiations with Saudi Arabia regarding the peaceful use of nuclear fuel due to Khashoggi's murder and Riyadh's actions in Yemen and Lebanon. Five Republican senators led by Marco Rubio stated that if the Trump administration does not stop nuclear negotiations with Saudi Arabia, they will pursue the passage of a bill to prevent the Washington-Riyadh agreement in this regard. In a letter, these senators wrote: 'The revelation of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist, along with Saudi actions in Yemen and Lebanon, raises very serious concerns about transparency, accountability, and the judgment of current decision-makers in Saudi Arabia.' They added: 'As a result, we request that any negotiations aimed at reaching a nuclear agreement for peaceful purposes be suspended until further notice.' Cory Gardner, Rand Paul, Dean Heller, and Todd Young, along with Marco Rubio, signed this letter. Donald Trump and his Vice President Mike Pence stated that if it is determined that Saudi officials were aware of this operation, it would have 'serious consequences' for Riyadh. The U.S. President even went so far as to say that the responsibility for Khashoggi's murder ultimately lies with Mohammed bin Salman. However, Trump also stated that arms contracts with Saudi Arabia would not be canceled.