Khashoggi's body parts found in Saudi consul general’s home

Nearly three weeks after mysterious disappearance and killing of Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Turkey, body parts belonging to the murdered journalist were found in the residence of the Saudi consul general in Istanbul.

Sources have told Sky News on Tuesday that the 59-year-old writer had been "cut up" and his face "disfigured".

One source also suggested Khashoggi's remains were discovered in the garden of the Saudi consul general's home in Turkish city of Istanbul.

It is another piece of evidence in the mysterious case of what happened to Khashoggi after he entered the kingdom consulate almost three weeks ago.

It comes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that the killing of Khashoggi inside the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul was "planned" and “brutal” murder, asking Riyadh to extradite the 18 arrested suspects to Turkey to face justice for the crime.

There was no mention of an alleged audio recording that the Turkish authorities claim to have of Khashoggi's death that confirms he was tortured, killed and was dismembered.

An informed source claimed that Kashoggi was butchered alive during an excruciating seven-minute execution inside the Riyadh consulate in Istanbul.

A Turkish source who has listened in full to an audio recording of the journalist's horrifying last moments told Middle East Eye (MEE) that it took seven minutes for Khashoggi to die.

Khashoggi was dragged from the Consul General’s office at the Saudi consulate and onto the table of his study next door, the Turkish source said, adding that horrendous screams were then heard by a witness downstairs. The screaming stopped when Khashoggi was injected with an as yet unknown substance.

MEE also disclosed that seven of the 15 men suspected of being involved in an operation to kill Khashoggi belong to Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s personal security and protection detail.

Khashoggi, known for his criticism of Saudi Arabia's policies, went missing on October 2 after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain a marriage document. Ankara has accused Riyadh of murdering the Khashoggi and smuggling his body out of the consulate in pieces. Saudi Arabia first denied the charges as “baseless", stressing that the journalist left the consulate shortly after he arrived, without providing any evidence.

But, after two weeks of denial by Saudi officials, Riyadh confessed that Khashoggi had been murdered by its security agents at the Istanbul consulate, but made no mention of where his body is. It also sacked a top general and arrested several people.

EA