We don't know where the body is – Saudi FM on Jamal Khashoggi

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Adel al Jubeir says the kingdom did not know where the body of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi was, despite admitting to the killing and calling it a "tremendous mistake."

Turkish officials have said they believe that 15 Saudi men who arrived in Istanbul on two flights on October 2 were connected to his death. (October 21, 2018)
Reuters

Turkish officials have said they believe that 15 Saudi men who arrived in Istanbul on two flights on October 2 were connected to his death. (October 21, 2018)

Saudi Arabian officials do not know details of how dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in their consulate in Istanbul or where his body is, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al Jubeir said on Sunday.

He told Fox News in an interview that Khashoggi was approached by a "Saudi security team" when he entered the consulate and their account of what happened after that differed from that of Turkish officials, which prompted the Saudis to investigate.

"He was killed in the consulate. We don’t know in terms of details how. We don’t know where the body is," Jubeir said. 

"We are determined to uncover every stone. ... We are determined to punish those who are responsible for this murder."

Jubeir was the first senior Saudi official to speak on the record since the Saudis admitted on Saturday that Khashoggi was dead.

The Saudis have laid out different versions of the circumstances that led to the death of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who was not seen after entering the consulate on October 2.

The crown prince has denied any involvement.

TRT World's Ben Said has more.

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Jubeir called the killing of Khashoggi a terrible mistake and offered condolences to his family. The journalist has relatives still living in Saudi Arabia and three children who hold US citizenship.

"This is a terrible mistake. This is a terrible tragedy. Our condolences go out to them. We feel their pain," Jubeir said in the interview. "Unfortunately, a huge and grave mistake was made and I assure them that those responsible will be held accountable for this."

Turkey vows to reveal 'truth'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday vowed to reveal within days the "naked truth" over the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as Riyadh insisted it did not know the whereabouts of his body and that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had been unaware of any operation to kill him.

The Turkish leader's statement came the day after Saudi authorities conceded Khashoggi had been killed inside their diplomatic compound in Istanbul.

"We are looking for justice here and this will be revealed in all its naked truth, not through some ordinary steps but in all its naked truth," Erdogan told a rally in Istanbul.

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Erdogan is expected to make a full statement to his party's MPs in parliament on Tuesday.

Turkish officials have said they believe that 15 Saudi men who arrived in Istanbul on two flights on October 2 were connected to his death.

Riyadh reacted by claiming one of the 15 had died in a car accident years ago.

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US senator blames Saudi prince for Khashoggi death

A leading Republican US Senator said on Sunday he believed Saudi Crown Prince Salman was responsible for the death of Khashoggi.

"Do I think he did it? Yes, I think he did it," Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in an interview with CNN's "State of the Union."

Corker said he was waiting for investigations to be completed and hoped that Turkey would share any audio tapes of the killing of Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

However, he made it clear he believed the Crown Prince Mohammed directed the murder.

"Let's let this play out, but my guess is that at the end of the day the United States and the rest of the world will believe fully that he did it," Corker said.

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