ISTANBUL (AP) — The Latest on the disappearance of a prominent Saudi journalist (all times local):
4:35 a.m.
Saudi Arabian officials are denying allegations that a prominent Saudi journalist was killed at the country’s consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Saudi government news agency issued a statement Sunday saying an official at the consulate described the allegations as “baseless” and expressed doubt that they came from Turkish officials with knowledge of the case.
He said a security delegation of Saudi investigators arrived in Istanbul Saturday to help look into the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi.
The Washington Post is reporting that two officials have told it that Turkey believes Khashoggi was killed at the consulate. The newspaper reported that the officials said “a 15-member team came from Saudi Arabia” and that “it was a preplanned murder” of the writer, who also is a contributor to the Post.
One Turkish official also made a similar statement to The Associated Press.
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12:40 a.m.
The Washington Post is reporting that two officials have told it that Turkey believes a prominent Saudi Arabian journalist who contributes to the Post was killed at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Saudi officials had no immediate comment.
The Post said Saturday night that the anonymous officials with knowledge of the Turkish investigation gave it the information about missing columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
The newspaper reported that the officials said “a 15-member team came from Saudi Arabia” and that “it was a preplanned murder.”
One Turkish official told The Associated Press earlier Saturday night: “The initial assessment of the Turkish police is that Mr. Khashoggi has been killed at the consulate of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul. We believe that the murder was premeditated and the body was subsequently moved out of the consulate.” The Turkish official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation.
The 59-year-old Khashoggi went missing Tuesday while on a visit to the consulate for paperwork to marry his Turkish fiance. The consulate insists the writer left its premises, contradicting Turkish officials.
Khashoggi has written columns for the Washington Post critical of Saudi Arabia’s assertive Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
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Associated Press writer Sarah El Deeb contributed to this report from Beirut.
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5:50 p.m.
Turkey’s official news agency says prosecutors are extending an investigation into the disappearance of a veteran Saudi journalist.
Anadolu news agency said Saturday the Istanbul public prosecutor’s office began a probe into Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance Tuesday, immediately after her went missing. It said the investigation over allegations that the writer was detained had “deepened.”
Khashoggi, 59, went missing while on a visit to the consulate in Istanbul for paperwork to marry his Turkish fiancée. The consulate insists the writer left its premises, contradicting Turkish officials who say they believe he is still there.
Khashoggi has written columns for the Washington Post critical of Saudi Arabia’s assertive Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
