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Photos released of 'assassination squad'

China Daily | Updated: 2018-10-11 07:38

ISTANBUL - A Turkish newspaper published photos on Wednesday of what it said was a 15-member "assassination squad" allegedly sent to target Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who went missing after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last week.

Turkish officials suspect Khashoggi was killed at the consulate, allegations rejected by Saudi Arabia, which says he left the premises. Turkey has been given permission to search the diplomatic post, an extraordinary development that shows the increasing international pressure the kingdom faces over Khashoggi's disappearance.

The report by the Sabah newspaper, which is close to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, published images of the men apparently taken at passport control. It said they checked into two hotels in Istanbul on Oct 2, the day Khashoggi went missing, and left later that day.

Khashoggi had written columns for The Washington Post that were critical of Riyadh.

On Wednesday, the Post published a column by Khashoggi's fiancee, Hatice Cengiz. She acknowledged the writer first visited the consulate on Sept 28 "despite being somewhat concerned that he could be in danger". He later returned on Oct 2 after being promised needed paperwork so the two could be married.

A surveillance video image surfaced on Tuesday showing Khashoggi walking into the consulate in Istanbul. No evidence of him leaving the consulate has been made public.

Meanwhile, a private Turkish television channel has aired surveillance video of Khashoggi walking into the Saudi consulate and a black van leaving later for the consul's home. News channel 24 aired the video on Wednesday, suggesting that Khashoggi was inside the black Mercedes Vito.

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said on Tuesday that Saudi authorities have notified Ankara that they were "open to cooperation" and would allow the consulate building to be searched. It's unclear when such a search would take place.

Embassies and consulates under the Vienna Convention are technically foreign soil and must be protected by host nations. Saudi Arabia may have agreed to the search in order to reassure its Western allies and the international community.

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(China Daily 10/11/2018 page12)

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