Jamal Khashoggi murder: Turkey demands extradition of 18 suspects accused of 'monstrous intent'
Turkey's president says the Saudi officials accused of killing journalist Mr Khashoggi must reveal the location of his body.
Saturday 27 October 2018 10:47, UK
Turkey has demanded the extradition of 18 Saudi nationals accused of murdering journalist Jamal Khashoggi with "monstrous intent".
The Istanbul prosecutor's office has prepared an extradition request for the suspects in the Washington Post columnist's death.
They are accused of murdering Mr Khashoggi in the Turkish capital's Saudi consulate by "premeditation, monstrous intent or by torture", according to the prosecutor's office.
It comes after Mr Khashoggi's fiancee, who was outside the consulate when her partner was killed inside, gave her first interview since his murder.
Hatice Cengiz told Turkish channel Haberturk: "I demand that all those involved in this savagery from the highest to the lowest levels are punished and brought to justice."
On Thursday, Saudi prosecutors said Mr Khashoggi's murder was premeditated, changing the country's account again to try to ease international outrage.
Turkey will eventually reveal other "information and evidence" about the writer's killing, the country's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
Mr Erdogan added that the Saudi officials accused of killing Mr Khashoggi must reveal the location of his body as he sharply criticised the kingdom's handling of the case.
"It is clear that he has been killed but where is it? You have to show the body," he said during an address to Turkey's ruling party leaders.
He added that Saudi Arabia's chief prosecutor will arrive in Turkey on Sunday as part of the investigation and will meet Turkish counterparts.
Key mysteries of the murder remain, including if it was carried out with the knowledge of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Mr Erdogan criticised initial Saudi statements that claimed Mr Khashoggi had left the consulate unharmed after going there for paperwork related to his planned marriage to Ms Cengiz.
"He will leave the consulate and not take his fiancee with him? Such childish statements do not go hand in hand with statesmanship," he said.
Mr Khashoggi's son Salah has left Saudi Arabia after the kingdom revoked a travel ban.
The writer's fiancee later said she had not received any condolence call from Saudi officials.
Ms Cengiz said she had asked US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who called her about the case, whether he had any news that would make her happy.
"But he said he didn't," she added.
CIA director Gina Haspel visited Turkey earlier this week to review evidence and later briefed US President Donald Trump in Washington.
Mr Trump has described Mr Khashoggi's murder as "one of the worst cover-ups in the history of cover-ups".