TEHRAN, October 20 -A senior Turkish official says "before long" investigators are likely to find out what happened to the body of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) -The Turkish official, who was speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Saturday that DNA samples were being obtained from the Saudi consulate and the consul's residence in Turkey, Reuters reported.
"We'll find out what happened to the body before long."
"The DNA is being procured from within Turkey. It seems there will be no need to ask Saudi Arabia at the moment," the official said.
Finally admitting that the writer had been slain at the Saudi diplomatic post, Riyadh has claimed Khashoggi died in a "fist fight" in the consulate. Saudi authorities say 18 Saudi suspects were in custody and intelligence officials had been fired.
The admission of Khashoggi's murder followed more than two weeks of denials by the kingdom of any involvement in his disappearance.
Turkey’s investigation into Khashoggi's murder has led the police forces to comb a forest near Istanbul and a farm house in the seaside city of Yalova, a 90-kilometer (55 mile) drive south of Istanbul, to find the remains.
The senior Turkish official said investigators were still focused on the Yalova and Belgrad Forest areas, and were looking at CCTV footage from near Belgrad Forest.
Investigators were also still examining traffic records of every car that went in and out of the mission on October 2, when Khashoggi was last seen entering the building, the official said.
Khashoggi had been there to obtain a document certifying he divorced his ex-wife.
Amnesty International said Riyadh’s explanation of Khashoggi's death in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul appeared to be a whitewash of "an appalling assassination."
The rights group said the "impartiality" of a Saudi probe into the case would remain in question after the kingdom admitted that Khashoggi had been killed inside the consulate.
The Saudi claim contradicts other narratives.
Turkish officials told The New York Times that Ankara had audio evidence proving Khashoggi was tortured, killed and subsequently dismembered by a hit squad of Saudi agents.
Turkish media 'want justice for Jamal'
Turan Kislakci, president of the Turkish Arab Media Association, said Saturday that the "authority that gave the orders" to kill the dissident journalist should be punished.
Kislakci, who was speaking outside the Saudi consulate, said Khashoggi was "slaughtered by bloody murderers" and that his group wants "true justice" for its slain colleague.
The deputy head of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party said Saturday that Turkey would "never allow a cover-up" of the murder.
Numan Kurtulmus also said that Turkey would share its evidence of Khashoggi's killing with the world and that a "conclusive result" of the investigation is close.
Kurtulmus said he thought "it's not possible for the Saudi administration to wiggle itself out of this crime if it's confirmed."
Leyla Sahin Usta, senior member of Turkey's ruling AK Party, said it would have been "more valuable" if Saudi officials had admitted that Khashoggi was killed in its diplomatic post.
Spain ‘dismayed’ by Saudi reports
Also on Saturday Spain said it was "dismayed" by information from Riyadh about the death of Khashoggi.
"The Spanish government is dismayed by early reports from the Saudi prosecutor about the death of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, and offers its most sincere condolences to his family," Spain said in a statement.
It also called for a thorough and transparent investigation into the case to bring to justice those responsible for the incident.
Source: Press TV
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