Erdogan Says Saudi Consulate Will Be Searched for Toxic Substances

Sputnik News

13:53 16.10.2018(updated 14:43 16.10.2018)

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressing journalists in Ankara after a Parliament session said that police will search the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul one more time on Tuesday amid investigation into disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Turkish investigators will conduct another search operation at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, as well as the Saudi Consul General's residence, in the wake of the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to Turkey's Anadolu news agency.

Turkish news agency Ihlas citing President Erdogan as saying reported that investigators will search the Kingdom's embassy for toxic substances.

"My hope is that we can reach conclusions that will give us a reasonable opinion as soon as possible, because the investigation is looking into many things such as toxic materials and those materials being removed by painting them over," Erdogan said speaking to the press in Ankara.

The president also claimed that some materials in the Saudi consulate at the location where Turkish investigators believe that Khashoggi dissapeared have been painted over.

Jamal 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, as reported by Turkish media. The Saudi authorities said that the journalist left the consulate shortly after he arrived.

After Ankara claimed that Khashoggi could've been arrested or even killed while inside the diplomatic mission, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman replied that Turkish authorities could search the Consulate General building if necessary.

On October 15, the joint Saudi-Turkish working group conducted a nine-hour inspection of the Saudi Consulate building, during which the police reportedly obtained some evidence relevant to the Khashoggi case proving that the journalist never left the building.

The search came as Haberturk TV reported that the Turkish police are considering the version alleging that the body of Khashoggi might have been dissolved in acid.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is due to sit down with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman later on Tuesday after talks with King Salman in Riyadh to discuss the disappearance of Khashoggi.

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