Disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi: The Turkish newspaper presents photos of the so-called Saudi "assassination team" in Istanbul

ISTANBUL – A newspaper close to the Turkish president on Wednesday released photos of a 15-member "assassination group" allegedly targeted at Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who disappeared after entering the Chinese consulate. Saudi Arabia in Istanbul last week. Turkish officials suspect that Khashoggi was reportedly killed at the Saudi Arabian consulate, charges allegedly rejected by Saudi Arabia, who reportedly left the scene.

Turkey has been granted permission to seek a diplomatic post, an extraordinary development that shows the growing international pressure to which the kingdom is facing the disappearance of Khashoggi.

The report by the Sabah newspaper, which is close to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, published images of men apparently captured during passport control. He said that they went to two hotels in Istanbul on October 2, the day of Khashoggi's disappearance, and that they left later in the day.

Khashoggi had written for the Washington Post a series of columns criticizing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who led a widely publicized campaign to reform the Sunni monarchy, while presiding over the arrest of activists and supporters. businessmen.

On Wednesday, the Post published a column of Hatice Cengiz, Khashoggi's fiancée. She acknowledged that the writer went to the consulate for the first time on September 28 "while he was afraid that he might be in danger". He returned later on October 2 after being promised the necessary paperwork to be able to marry the two.

A video surveillance image appeared Tuesday showing Khashoggi entering the consulate in the posh district of 4th Levent in Istanbul. No evidence of his departure from the consulate has been made public, but the Turkish authorities have not yet provided proof of his abduction or death.

"At that time, I begged President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to help shed light on Jamal's disappearance," Cengiz wrote. "I also urge Saudi Arabia, especially King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to demonstrate the same level of sensitivity and to disseminate the video surveillance images of the consulate."

She added, "Although this incident could potentially fuel a political crisis between the two nations, let's not lose sight of the human aspect of what happened."

Khashoggi sought to become an American citizen after living in self-imposed exile since last year, fearing repercussions on his criticism of the prince, writes Cengiz.

Trump, who made his first trip abroad as US President to the kingdom and whose son-in-law Jared Kushner has close ties to Prince Mohammed, said Tuesday that he had not yet spoken of Khashoggi to the Saudis, "but I will be ready", without elaborating.

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said on Tuesday that the Saudi authorities had informed Ankara that they were "open to cooperation" and that they would allow the search of the consulate building. . It is not known when such a search would take place.

Embassies and consulates under the Vienna Convention are technically foreign and must be protected by host countries. Saudi Arabia may have accepted this research to reassure its Western allies and the international community.