A Turkish forensic expert is seen from a window as he works inside Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul, Turkey Oct. 15, 2018. (Reuters Photo)
The Saudi and Turkish investigator teams, as well as the Turkish prosecutor, investigating the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi were seen leaving the Saudi consulate in Istanbul early Tuesday morning.
A team of around 10 Turkish police investigators left first after a nine-hour search of the building. The Turkish prosecutor was seen leaving later, a Reuters witness said Tuesday.
They took samples with them, including soil from the consulate garden that was loaded into vans, one official at the scene said.
The Saudi team left about 45 minutes after the Turkish personnel.
An acting chief prosecutor and a public prosecutor were assigned by Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office to carry out the probe at the consulate.
Also, specialists from anti-terror branch and crime scene investigation units of Istanbul Provincial Security Directorate are included in the team.
On Monday, a Turkish diplomatic source had said a joint Turkish-Saudi team would search the consulate, the last place where Khashoggi was seen before he vanished on Oct. 2.
Presidential aide Ibrahim Kalın announced last week that a joint team would be formed to investigate the disappearance of Khashoggi upon the kingdom’s request.
The 58-year-old journalist and Washington Post contributor has been missing since he entered the Saudi consulate to gather documents for marriage last week. His fiancee, friends and Turkish authorities have said he did not leave the building.
Several Turkish officials have voiced concerns that he was murdered in the consulate.
Saudi officials and consulate workers denied murder allegations and claimed that Khashoggi left the consulate, but have failed to provide any evidence of his exit from the facility.
