Turkey police find Saudi consulate car in parking lot

Turkish police today found a diplomatic vehicle which belongs to the Saudi consulate in a parking lot as part of the probe into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to security sources.

Police asked for the permission of the chief public prosecutor’s office and the Consulate General of Saudi Arabia to search the vehicle.

Khashoggi, a columnist for the Washington Post, had gone missing since entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on 2 October.

After days of denying knowledge of his whereabouts, Saudi Arabia on Saturday claimed Khashoggi died during a fight inside the consulate.

READ: Turkish staff of Saudi consulate give statements in Khashoggi probe

On the day of Khashoggi’s disappearance, 15 other Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while he was still inside, according to Turkish police sources. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.

A joint Turkish-Saudi team completed an investigation into the case on Thursday after searching the residence of the consul general as well as the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

On Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he will make a statement on Khashoggi’s killing today during his party’s group meeting in parliament.

Where is Jamal Khashoggi?… – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]