ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Saudi officials murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi in their Istanbul consulate after plotting his death for days, Turkey's president said Tuesday, contradicting Saudi Arabia's explanation that the writer was accidentally killed. He demanded that the kingdom reveal the identities of all involved, regardless of rank.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also said he wants Saudi Arabia to allow 18 suspects that it detained for the Saudi's killing to be tried in Turkish courts, setting up further complications with the Saudi government, which has said it is conducting its own investigation and will punish those involved. Saudi Arabia has described the suspects as rogue operators, even though officials linked to Saudi Arabia's assertive Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have been implicated in the killing.
"To blame such an incident on a handful of security and intelligence members would not satisfy us or the international community," Erdogan said in a speech to ruling party lawmakers in parliament.
"Saudi Arabia has taken an important step by admitting the murder. As of now we expect of them to openly bring to light those responsible — from the highest ranked to the lowest — and to bring them to justice," said the Turkish president, who used the word "murder" 15 times in his speech.