The killing of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia’s Istanbul consulate was premeditated, the country’s attorney general said Thursday.
According to the statement posted by the Saudi state news agency, the latest evolution in the official version of events surrounding Khashoggi’s death came after new information was received from Turkish investigators.
“The public prosecution received information from the Turkish side through the Joint Working Group between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Turkish Republic, indicating that the suspects in Khashoggi’s case premeditated their crime,” Attorney General Shaikh Suood bin Abdullah Al Mo’jab said.
“The public prosecution continues its investigations with the accused in accordance with the latest investigation results to reach the facts, God willing, and complete the course of justice.”
The development comes as CIA director Gina Haspel is set to brief US President Donald Trump on the investigation into Khashoggi’s death.
Haspel traveled to Turkey on Monday, apparently to assess information the Turks have collected on Khashoggi’s killing inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. The Washington Post reported Wednesday that Haspel listened to audio purportedly of his interrogation and murder while she was in Turkey. Trump also said the US has sent officials to Saudi Arabia to get more information on the killing, which has spiraled into a crisis.
Turkish investigators continue to hunt for clues to the whereabouts of Khashoggi’s body.
Source: CNN