Saudi Arabia ‘set to admit journalist Jamal Khashoggi died during botched interrogation’
SAUDI Arabia is prepared to admit that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed during a botched interrogation.
The Arab kingdom will publish a report claiming Khashoggi’s death happened during questioning in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
The interrogation was then supposed to lead to the journalist being abducted from Turkey, reports.
Saudi officials will also conclude the operation was carried out “without clearance” and that those involved will be held responsible.
Khashoggi, who wrote for the Washington Post, was living in self-imposed exile in the US over the over fears of being arrested for writing critical articles about the Saudi royal family.
President Donald Trump suggested t"rogue killers" could be behind Khashoggi's disappearance.
However, he claimed that during a phone call with Saudi Arabia's King Salman - the monarch flatly denied knowing anything about the case.
Khashoggi went missing from the Saudi consulate on October 2.
Audio recordings of the 59-year-old may have captured his death on his Apple Watch, reports claimed last week.
The journalist's killers are reported to have listened to music on their headphones while surgically dismembering his body.
He was last seen entering the Saudi embassy to carry out paperwork, but his family haven't heard from him since.
Audio and video recordings emerged proved he was tortured and murdered inside a Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, by a 15-strong hit team.
Yesterday Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt expressed British concerns for the journalist for the first time - with a joint statement with other European counterparts.
He, the foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian of France and Heiko Maas of Germany said today: "Defending freedom of expression and a free press and ensuring the protection of journalists are key priorities for Germany, the United Kingdom and France.
"In this spirit, light must be shed on the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, whose family has lost contact with him since October 2nd.
"Germany, the United Kingdom and France share the grave concern expressed by others including HRVP Mogherini and UNSG Guterres, and are treating this incident with the utmost seriousness."
They demanded a "credible investigation to establish the truth about what happened" and make sure those who are responsible are held to account.
And the leaders demanded the Saudi Government to provide a response to explain what happened.
Khasoggi's fiancée Hatice Cengiz said she waited outside the consulate for eleven hours, but he did not come out.
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Turkish spies have told officials they eavesdropped on the October 2 killing, with US officials notified.
The audio recording in particular is said to provide “persuasive and gruesome” evidence that an assassin team was responsible, officials said.
Last week Mr Hunt said he had met with the ambassador Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf Al Saud to "seek answers" about what had happened to him.
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