Turkish Police Inspect Residence of Saudi Consul in Istanbul

Turkish police inspectors entered the residence of the Saudi consul in Istanbul on Wednesday, October 17, to complete their investigation into the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist and critic, and the possibility of his murder. Meanwhile, the U.S. Secretary of State, after leaving Turkey, told reporters that the United States is taking the issue of the journalist's disappearance "seriously." International news agencies report that a team of inspectors and police investigators, including toxicology experts in white suits, entered the residence of Mohammed Al-Otaibi, who had left Turkey for Riyadh the day before on a passenger flight. This inspection is part of the investigation into the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, who has been missing since October 2 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Unofficial reports, citing Turkish sources, suggest that Mr. Khashoggi may have been killed and his body dismembered by a 15-member Saudi team. Turkish state media claim that audio and video related to the moment of his murder are in the possession of Ankara officials. Turkish police inspectors also inspected the Saudi consulate for nine hours on Monday, collecting soil and DNA samples for testing. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested on Tuesday that parts of the Saudi consulate may have been repainted after Khashoggi's disappearance. He told reporters in the Turkish parliament: "Investigations are focused on many issues, including toxic substances and materials that have been painted over." Jamal Khashoggi was a critic of Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, and wrote for The Washington Post. For this reason, some analysts and politicians, especially in the U.S., consider him the main instigator of Khashoggi's possible disappearance and murder. These developments coincide with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to Turkey to share information regarding the disappearance of the Saudi critic journalist with Turkish officials. After arriving in Ankara on Wednesday, Pompeo responded to the question of whether Khashoggi is alive or dead by stating that Saudi leaders "did not speak about any of this information." He also added that he emphasized the importance of conducting a thorough investigation into Khashoggi's disappearance during his meetings with King Salman and the Crown Prince. According to the Associated Press, after leaving Turkey, Pompeo told reporters that the issue of the journalist's disappearance is being taken "seriously." He noted that the Turkish President "pointed out that the Saudis have cooperated with the ongoing investigation and are expected to provide their information." When asked if he had heard the audio file that reportedly recorded the moment of Khashoggi's murder, he replied: "I have nothing to say on that matter." Pompeo stated that the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have important ties, including in countering Iran. He also said: "If a country does something illegal, that is unacceptable. No one intends to defend such behavior. They should simply say what happened."