Turkey 'has recording proving Saudi murder'

International Desk: Turkish officials have audio and video evidence that shows missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the BBC has been told.

Mr Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government, has not been seen since he entered the building on 2 October.

Turkish intelligence had "documented evidence" of the murder, a source close to the investigation said.

Saudi Arabia's interior minister has dismissed the accusations.

According to the official Saudi Press Agency, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif bin Abdulaziz said "orders to kill him are lies and baseless allegations".

Saudi Arabia has maintained the journalist left the building, with the minister saying the kingdom was keen to discover "the whole truth", according to the news agency.

Mr Khashoggi's disappearance and reported death have prompted international outrage and dented business confidence in Saudi Arabia.

Tycoon Sir Richard Branson has halted talks over $1bn Saudi investment in Virgin space firms and several top business leaders and media groups have pulled out of a Saudi investment conference later this month.

However, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told American news network CNBC he was still planning to attend the conference, despite the House of Representatives' foreign affairs committee writing to President Donald Trump urging him to reconsider.

The latest reports suggest an assault and a struggle took place in the consulate.

A Turkish security source has confirmed to BBC Arabic the existence of an audio and a video recording. What is not clear is if anyone other than Turkish officials has seen or heard them.

One source is cited by the Washington Post saying men can be heard beating Mr Khashoggi; it adds that the recordings show he was killed and dismembered.

Agencies


risingbd/Dhaka/Oct 13, 2018/Nasim