ANKARA – Turkish police on Monday were searching the villa of a Saudicitizen in a northwestern province for the remains of murdered Saudijournalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The officers began searching a two-storey building in Termal district inYalova with the help of sniffer dogs and drones before the investigationwidened to the adjacent villa, state news agency Anadolu said.
Khashoggi, a contributor for The Washington Post, was killed by Saudiofficials on October 2 during a visit to the kingdom’s consulate inIstanbul for paperwork before his wedding.
The first villa to be searched is owned by a Saudi man whom the Istanbulprosecutor said had spoken to one of the murder suspects on October 1.
“It is believed that what was discussed was how to destroy or hidejournalist Jamal Khashoggi’s body after his dismemberment during thisconversation,” the prosecutor said in a statement.
The prosecutor added this information was the reason given to search thebuilding.
Crime scene investigators were inspecting a well in the first villa’sgarden in Samanli village, Anadolu earlier said, while images showed firetrucks at the scene.
Turkish prosecutors say Khashoggi was strangled before he was dismembered.
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His body has not been found and his death has triggered widespreadinternational criticism of Riyadh. There have been reports inpro-government media that the journalist’s remains could have beendissolved in acid.
The searches on Monday came more than two weeks after Sabah daily reportedthat samples taken from the consulate drains showed traces of acid.
Turkish authorities say a team of 15 Saudi officials were sent to killKhashoggi, who was 59, but Riyadh insists the assassination team conducteda rogue operation.
Anadolu said the Saudi who owned the villa in question is a businessman whowas not in Turkey during multiple phone calls with the suspects.
There have been previous inspections of the Saudi consulate and theconsul-general’s residence in Istanbul as well as a forest in the city. -APP/AFP
