The murder of Saudi opposition journalist Jamal Khashoggi was ordered by then Saudi Deputy Intelligence Chief Ahmed Asiri and assigned to Ahmad Abdullah Muzaini, the attache of the Saudi Consulate General in Istanbul, who allegedly served as the kingdom's resident spy in Turkey, media reported on Tuesday, citing a law enforcement source.
ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd October, 2018) The murder of Saudi opposition journalist Jamal Khashoggi was ordered by then Saudi Deputy Intelligence Chief Ahmed Asiri and assigned to Ahmad Abdullah Muzaini, the attache of the Saudi Consulate General in Istanbul, who allegedly served as the kingdom's resident spy in Turkey, media reported on Tuesday, citing a law enforcement source.
According to the Turkish Sabah newspaper, Muzaini was inside the building of the Saudi consulate on September 28, when Khashoggi visited it for the first time to make the arrangements needed for receiving papers for his remarriage. The newspaper claimed that on September 29, Muzaini flew to Riyadh, where he met with Asiri and was instructed about the tasks of a special group comprising 15 people, who later arrived in Istanbul to assassinate the journalist.
On October 1, the attache returned to Istanbul, where he briefed Saudi Consul General Mohammed al-Otaibi on the details of the plan for the journalist's murder. On October 2, when Khashoggi was already killed, Muzaini returned to the Saudi capital, the news outlet added.
The Times newspaper, in turn, reported that Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb, the alleged head of a killing squad, has made at least four phone calls to the office of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman from the Saudi consulate in Istanbul following Khashoggi's murder.
According to the news outlet this information undermined the claims of the Saudi authorities, who denied knowing anything about the journalist's killing.
Khashoggi, known for his criticism of Saudi policies, has recently been working as a columnist for The Washington Post. The journalist was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2.
Following more than two weeks of denials, Saudi Arabia admitted on Friday via state television that the journalist had been killed in a fight inside the consulate. Riyadh has arrested 18 people over their involvement in the incident, while at least five Saudi officials, including Asiri, have been dismissed as the Khashoggi affair was gaining momentum.
