Turkish police say 'evidence' found at Saudi consulate on Khashoggi case

ISTANBUL

A high-level Turkish official says police have found "certain evidence" during their search of the Saudi Consulate showing that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed there.

The official did not provide details on the evidence that was recovered during the hourslong search at the diplomatic mission that ended early Oct. 16.

The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation.

Turkish officials say Saudi agents killed and dismembered the writer at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.

Saudi Arabia previously called the allegation "baseless," but U.S. media reports suggest the Saudis may soon acknowledge Khashoggi was killed there, perhaps as part of a botched interrogation.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Oct. 16 that Saudi Arabia hadn’t offered any confession to Turkey over its alleged involvement in the disappearance and feared slaying of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi.

Asked about a New York Times report that Saudi Arabia might say Khashoggi was killed in an interrogation gone wrong, the minister said: "We have not received such information."

He added: "Consulates aren’t places to hold interrogations. Interrogations should take place in courts, (by) judiciary authorities."

The search was widened on Oct. 16 evening when Turkish police arrived the residence of the Saudi consul.

The consul, Mohammad Utaybi, returned to Saudi Arabia hours before the search, according to Turkish media reports.