İstanbul Security Directorate Report: Everything Planned in Khashoggi Murder

*Photo: Onur Çoban - İstanbul/AA

Click to read the article in Turkish

İstanbul Security Directorate has said that "everything was planned" in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the 351-page "2018 Activity Report".

The report says that the evidence of the murder was spoiled and the perpetrators "ordered 32 kilograms of raw meat" after the killing.

In the house where the murder took place, there is a tandoor oven that can reach a temperature of 1000 Celsius degrees and does not leave a trace of DNA. A fire was started in the tandoor oven after the execution, according to the report.

"Khashoggi's clothes in a bag"

The report mentions, "an accomplice" who was with the "Khashoggi's stuntman".

The report provides the following information based on an examination of security cameras:

"A beardless person whose face is similar to Khashoggi enters the consulate general. After a while, he goes outside. The clothes on him belong to Khashoggi.

"Near him, there is an accomplice who carries a white plastic bag. He is wearing a hoodie. When looked carefully, it becomes clear that there are clothes in the bag.

"Second stop for the duo is the Sultanahmet Mosque. At 16.22 on October 2, the stuntman and the accomplice change clothes and throw the bag to a dust bin.

"Khashoggi's clothes are in the bag. It is understood that everything was planned. It was not hard to identify the stuntman. Mustafa Mohammed M. Almadani was part of the group that came to İstanbul."

"Traces of evidence spoliation"

Saying that the housing of the Consulate General, a Manor house in Yalova province, Khashoggi's home, the car park and 15 cars were searched for a trace, the report concludes, "There was a clear trace. Trace of areas which were made very clean with chemicals. Namely, traces of evidence spoliation."

What happened?

Journalist Khashoggi was disappeared after entering the Saudi Consulate in İstanbul on October 2, 2018. The Saudi Kingdom admitted on October 20 that he was killed in the consulate.

The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office released a press statement on October 31, giving the following information:

"Jamal Khashoggi went to the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for paperwork related to his marriage on October 2, 2018. As soon as he entered the consulate building, in a premeditated murder, he was suffocated to death and his body was dismembered and destroyed."

About Jamal Khashoggi

Journalist and writer Jamal Khashoggi is known for his opposing views about the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman and he has been writing at the Washington Post about this issue.

After he expressed his criticisms about the reforms introduced by bin Salman and drew reactions, he left Saudi Arabia in 2017 and moved to the US.

He worked as Director General and Editor-in-Chief at the Al Arab Media Group. He was also a media consultant at the Saudi Arabia Embassy in England. (AS/VK)