Khashoggi murder appears to have been planned in advance: Erdogan

ANKARA (92 News) – Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has indicated that he believes the murder of writer Jamal Khashoggi was pre-planned, and not the result of a spontaneous fight as the Saudi Arabian authorities have indicated. Addressing to the Turkey’s parliament, Erdogan said that Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul after entering to collect some documents on October 2. Erdogan described the killing as ‘savage’ and questioned the delay in allowing investigators access to the building following Khashoggi's disappearance as well as the continuing absence of the writer’s body. He also suggested that the trials of 18 Saudi nationals suspected of involvement should take place in his country’s courts, even though the crime took place on Saudi territory. "No doubt on the intentions of Saudi King Salman but will carry out the investigations for tracing the truth. No one can stop us for investigation," the Turkish president said. According to Erdogan, a team of three people from Saudi Arabia arrived in Istanbul the day before the killing and on subsequent days a clean-up operation involving removing of CCTV footage took place. Khashoggi was close to members of Erdogan's administration and had instructed his fiancée to contact senior Turkish officials if he failed to return from his appointment at the consulate.