How did Jamal Khashoggi die in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and what are the alleged audio recordings?

The 59-year-old Washington Post columnist was a fierce critic of the Saudi government. Here's what we know about his death.

Who was Jamal Khashoggi?

Jamal Khashoggi was a Saudi Arabian journalist, columnist, author and former editor-in-chief of Al Arab news.

He was born in Madinah, on October 13, 1958, and later earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Indiana State University in 1982.

In September 2017, he started work as a columnist for the Washington Post.

He was engaged to marry Hatice Cengiz, 36.

Khashoggi is the grandson of Muhammad Khashsoggi, who married the personal physician to King Abdulaziz Al Saud, the founder of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He is also a first cousin of Dodi Fayed, who dated Diana Princess of Wales when they were both killed in a Paris car crash.

The 59-year-old had more than 1.6million Twitter followers and was known as an outspoken and high-profile critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

He lived in self-imposed exile in the US after a number of his friends were arrested.

He worked on a number of Arab titles and TV channels since starting his career in 1985, rising from reporter to foreign correspondent, to editor in chief.

When did he go missing?

Khashoggi went to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul shortly after 1pm on October 2.

He disappeared after he went in to obtain documents for his marriage.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on the kingdom is committed to a "comprehensive investigation"into his death.

How did Jamal Khashoggi die?

Saudi Arabia claims Mr Khashoggi was killed during a fight at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

But there are claims that he was deliberately tortured and killed in a disturbing seven-minute execution.

On October 21 it was claimed he had been choked to death by Saudi assassins who rolled his body up in a rug and smuggled it out of their consulate in Istanbul.

Other evidence suggests Khashoggi was tortured to death, dismembered and smuggled out — supervised by Salah Muhammad al-Tubaiqi.

Turkish police who searched the consulate found "toxic materials" were covered up with a fresh coat of paint, president Erdogan said.

On October 20, Turkey vowed to reveal the "truth" of what happened to Jamal Khashoggi with a ruling party spokesman saying Turkey would "never allow a cover up" .

Turkey has alleged the Saudi Crown Prince spoke to the journalist just MINUTES before he was killed.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in an interview with state-run Anadolu Agency: "If a request for an international investigation is made … we would cooperate."

What are the alleged recordings?

A source claims to have heard a recording from the writer's Apple Watch capturing the moment he was allegedly dragged into a study and butchered alive in a seven-minute execution.

The anonymous source claimed Khashoggi could be heard screaming as he was dragged from the Consul General’s office to a desk in the other room.

Yeni Safak, a pro-government newspaper, reported General Mohammed al-Otaibi, the Saudi consul to Turkey, could be heard telling those allegedly torturing Khashoggi: “Do this outside, you’re going to get me in trouble.”

The newspaper said one of the Saudi “torturers” replied: “Shut up if you want to live when you return to (Saudi) Arabia.”

Al-Otaibi left Turkey on a commercial flight on Tuesday just hours before Turkish investigators entered his residence.

He was relieved of his powerful post and will now be investigated over the alleged killing, according to a Saudi government statement.

Who is Jamal Khashoggi's fiancee?

Hatice Cengiz, 36, was engaged to marry Mr Khashoggi.

When he entered the Saudi consulate on October 2 to retrieve his divorce papers, Ms Cengiz waited for him for 11 hours.

Khashoggi told her to call an adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan if he did not return.

Speaking to the Washington Post a week after his disappearance, she said: "As his fiancee, as someone close to Jamal and in love with Jamal, I am waiting for information from my government about what has happened to him.

"It is the responsibility of Saudi Arabia to explain and prove how Jamal exited and from where and when."

What did President Trump say?

President Donald Trump has asked Turkey for the recordings saying: "We have asked for it, if it exists."

He added: "I'm not sure yet that it exists, probably does, possibly does."

But he slammed criticism of Saudi Arabia as a case of "guilty until proven innocent".

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo flew to Saudi capital Riyadh for talks with leaders.

 

What has the Saudi government said?

In Saudi Arabia the authoritarian government is led by the royal family.

After denying Mr Khashoggi was dead and expressing concern for his well-being, Saudi Arabia has now said he was killed in a fight at the consulate.

Liam Fox has pulled out of an investment conference in Saudi Arabia due to take place later this month

Did Khashoggi know Osama bin Laden?

Khashoggi followed Osama bin Laden's career since the 1980s and had interviewed him several times.

He claimed to know the terrorist during his formative years as a radical Islamist and interviewed him in Afghanistan in 1987 during the fight against Russian occupation.

He also met bin Laden in Tora Bora and lastly in Sudan in 1995.

It is reported that Khashoggi once tried to persuade Bin Laden to stop his violence.

 

 

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