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"Jamal Khashoggi in accordance with a preconceived plot was immediately strangled as soon as he stepped in the Saudi Istanbul Consulate on Oct. 2 and his deceased body again in accordance with the same plan had been dismembered and annihilated," authorities in Turkey shared their own official narrative of the murder of the dissident journalist from Saudi Arabia in a written statement released from the office of İstanbul Head Prosecutor of the Republic, today (Oct. 31).
Saudi Head Prosecutor Saud Al-Mujeb and a delegation, upon the request by the authorities in Turkey to prosecute the murder case of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the İstanbul consulate of Saudi Kingdom had on mutual consent arrived on Oct. 28 in Istanbul for the talks.
The written statement comes in the aftermath of inconclusive talks and exchange of letters between the Head Prosecutor of Saudi Arabia and his Turkish counterpart in Istanbul on Oct. 29, 30 and 31.
According to the satement, the talks with the Saudi delegation is referred to bear "no concrete results in spite of our efforts with good will in quest of the truth" and the Turkish authorities "regarding the gravity of the incident deemed it compulsory to share their version of the Khashoggi murder case based on available evidence."
According to the timeline of talks between the officials from Turkey and Saudi Arabia as reported in the written statement, the Turkish side in the first round of talks on Oct. 29 requested that the accomplices involved in the Khasoggi's murder case delivered to Turkey and information provided regarding;
- The whereabouts of the deceased body of Khashoggi.
- The identities of the would-be plotters of Khashoggi's murder inside the Saudi Consulate.
- The identity of the so called "local collaborator", to whom Khashoggi's deceased body is alleged to be delivered.
These questions were also submitted to the Saudi delegation on paper.
Same issues were reconsidered during a second meeting with the Saudi delegation on the next day and a written response was requested for the previously submitted questions.
Saudi officials: The whereabouts of Khashogghi's body is yet unknown
Saudi officials in a written statement before their leave today denied that they had any information about the existence of "a local collaborator" and invited their counterparts in Turkey to Saudi Arabia for further joint investigation into the case and the accomplices in the murder of Khashoggi.
The officials of Turkey have not yet responded to the Saudi invitation. (AS/EK)