Khashoggi case: One name does not mention Erdogan in his indictment

reTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi as a "planned barbaric murder", putting pressure on Riyadh. "The information and evidence that surfaced up here show that Jamal Khashoggi was the victim of a brutal murder," Erdogan said Tuesday in a highly anticipated speech in front of his ruling party, said AKP, in Ankara.

Although Erdogan has announced that he wants to go into the "details", he has not then presented the evidence mentioned, nor provided new revolutionary information. Instead, he called on Saudi Arabia to clarify, including the question of where the body was. He also expects all officials to be held accountable, Erdogan said. International pressure on Saudi Arabia is also increasing.

The International Investor Conference in Riyadh had to miss many senior guests who had canceled their participation because of the Khashoggi affair.

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This weekend, about three weeks after Khashoggi's disappearance, Saudi Arabia acknowledged that the journalist had been killed at the Istanbul consulate. Riyadh, however, presented the death as a result of a fight. 18 Saudi nationals were arrested. In his speech, Erdogan contradicted this presentation, also contested internationally.

Erdogan does not mention the Crown Prince

Erdogan also said that for him, the problem of the arrest of the Saudis has not yet been solved: "Blaming such a case to security and intelligence officials would not satisfy us, nor would the international community, "he said. The 18 Saudis arrested should be tried in Istanbul, he said. He did not doubt the sincerity of King Salman. Erdogan did not mention the Crown Prince, suspected of ordering the murder.

For a long time, the Turkish authorities or politicians had hardly commented on the case. Instead, the Turkish government has provided the public with new investigative information. The media relied in part on audio and video recordings to prove that Khashoggi was being tortured, murdered and dismembered at the consulate. Erdogan did not mention the recordings on Tuesday, leaving open whether they exist or not.

With the tactic of giving only piecemeal information, Erdogan has succeeded in increasing the pressure on Riyadh and discrediting the kingdom on an international scale. The G7 also officially asked Riyadh to continue its studies. Turkey and Saudi Arabia are rivals in the region. Turkey supports, for example, the Emirate of Qatar, which is hostile to Riyadh. In addition, Turkish leaders are close to the Muslim Brotherhood – who are fighting Saudi Arabia. Many Muslim brothers live in exile in Turkey. Erdogan may also wish to use information on Khashoggi's death to demand concessions, such as economic badistance, from Saudi leaders.

"Do not be surprised if leaks continue"

Khashoggi's case, however, is far from the economic crisis the country is going through. Erdogan can now announce new discoveries in other widely advertised speeches. Rahip Soylu, a Washington correspondent for the pro-government Sabah newspaper, also hinted that there could be other indiscretions in the media. After Erdogan's speech, Erdogan wrote on Twitter: "He plays his cards skillfully, so do not be surprised if the leaks continue."

What Erdogan then revealed was a careful description of the crime from the Turkish point of view, from the moment Khashoggi entered the consulate on 2 October. According to this information, several men from Saudi Arabia reportedly arrived the day before the disappearance of the man. Erdogan spoke of "three teams". One of them had "investigated" the murder committed in the forests of Belgrade and Yalova near Istanbul – for what purpose he had left it open. On the day of the murder, the perpetrators were between 9:50 am and 11:00 am local time, going independently to the consulate to meet on the spot.

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But there are still many questions. "Why did these 15 people, all related to the case, gather in Istanbul on the day of the murder?" Asked Erdogan. "Why have many contradictory statements been made, even though murder is a fact?" And: why has not the body been found yet?

Meanwhile, Saudi leaders are trying to reduce the pressure with promises. Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubair said during a visit to Jakarta that the royal house had engaged in a thorough investigation. Those responsible would be held responsible for their actions, with the aim "that this never happens again".

Al-Dschubair had already tried to suspect the royal house this weekend. The media reveal traces in the immediate environment of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The royal family met Saud al-Kahtani, a confidant close to the 33-year-old heir to the throne. Al-Dschubair, but badured US broadcaster Fox News, none of the suspects have any connection with the Crown Prince.

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On Tuesday, Saudi leaders later received members of Khashoggi's family. King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman offered their condolences to Khashoggi's brother, Sahl, and Khashoggi's son, Salah, at the palace's meeting, the Saudi press agency SPA announced on Tuesday. The two family members would have thanked for the declaration of condolences.

Petroleum Minister Chalid al-Falih gave a rare glimpse of the atmosphere of the leaders at the international investor conference in Riyadh. The kingdom is in crisis, he admitted on the podium: "These are difficult days for us." This act is an "unfortunate and vile incident" that no one in Saudi Arabia can justify or explain.

Contracts signed worth $ 50 billion

The consequences of the crisis were immediately apparent to Al-Falih in Riyadh, where many distinguished guests canceled their participation in the conference. Among them were US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, head of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde, and Siemens General Manager Joe Kaeser. Other leaders have arrived, such as Patrick Pouyanné, the Managing Director of Total in France. Former Siemens boss Klaus Kleinfeld also climbed onto the podium. He is currently advisor to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who attended the conference.

Saudi Arabia also announced that the conference – one of the largest business meetings in the world – would sign contracts worth $ 50 billion. The projects should contribute to the ambitious restructuring of the Saudi economy, which wants to become more independent of oil. Responsible: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.