(Image source from: Middle East Eye)
Saudi Arabia is preparing to admit that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed during an interrogation that went erroneous, according to reports. His family has called for an international inquiry into his disappearance.
Khashoggi had gone missing after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in Turkey on October 2. He had visited the consulate to seek papers needed for his marriage to his fiancee.
Khashoggi, the United States resident, was a Washington Post columnist and a leading critic of the powerful Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman.
His family members called for an investigation, in a statement released on Monday. "We are sadly and anxiously following the conflicting news regarding the fate of our father after losing contact with him two weeks ago," they said.
"The strong moral and legal responsibility which our father instilled in us obliges us to call for the establishment of an independent and impartial international commission to inquire into the circumstances of his death."
Earlier, Saudi officials had maintained that Khashoggi had left the consulate the same afternoon of his visit, but could not provide evidence to support the claim.
Currently, unofficial reports in the U.S. media suggest that Saudi officials are preparing to admit that Khashoggi died as a consequence of an interrogation that went wrong and that the original intention had been to abduct him.
In the meantime, Al-Jazeera has claimed that the Turkish attorney general's office as saying it has found evidence to back claims that Khashoggi was killed inside the mission. BBC too claims that a Turkish security officer had audio and video evidence proving Khashoggi was murdered in the consulate.
Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, is set to meet the Saudi King Salman amid the growing controversy. Pompeo is then expected to visit Turkey.
The U.S. President Donald Trump has, meanwhile, suggested that "rogue killer" could be behind Khashoggi's disappearance, though did not provide any evidence to back his claim.
A team of Turkish police investigators and prosecutors on Tuesday left the Saudi consulate in Istanbul after carrying out an unprecedented eight-hour night-time hunt agreed after the disappearance of Khashoggi.
The Turkish team members, who conducted the probe in cooperation with a Saudi delegation, returned to their vehicles and left the premises, agency reports said.
They took samples with them, including soil from the consulate garden that was loaded into vans, one official present said.
The case has provoked an worldwide indignation against Saudi Arabia.
While organizers on Monday said the conference will proceed, the Saudis canceled an annual diplomatic reception in Washington set for later this week.
By Sowmya Sangam
