'US appointing investigator on Saudi journalist untrue'

By Tugrul Cam

ANKARA

Reports about the U.S. appointing investigator over the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi are untrue, said Turkish diplomatic sources on Thursday.

“The information saying that the U.S. appointed an investigator is not true,” the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media, told Anadolu Agency.

“We have investigators over there and we're working with Turkey, and frankly we're working with Saudi Arabia. We want to find out what happened," U.S. President Donald Trump told the morning news program Fox & Friends.

Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has been missing since Oct. 2, when he visited the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

Saudi authorities have yet to give a clear explanation on the fate of Khashoggi as several countries -- particularly Turkey, the U.S. and the U.K. -- press for clarification.

According to his fiancée Hatice Cengiz, Khashoggi first arrived at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Sept. 28. After being told his documents would be ready in a week, Khashoggi went to London and returned to Istanbul on Oct. 1.

Khashoggi called the consulate and was told "that documents are being prepared" and he could come to the consulate. He went to the diplomatic building on Oct. 2 with Cengiz but was not seen after entering it.

On the same day, 15 Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while Khashoggi was also inside, police sources said.

By Tugrul Cam

ANKARA

Reports about the U.S. appointing investigator over the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi are untrue, said Turkish diplomatic sources on Thursday.

“The information saying that the U.S. appointed an investigator is not true,” the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media, told Anadolu Agency.

Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has been missing since Oct. 2, when he visited the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

Saudi authorities have yet to give a clear explanation on the fate of Khashoggi as several countries -- particularly Turkey, the U.S. and the U.K. -- press for clarification.

On the same day, 15 Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while Khashoggi was also inside, police sources said.