Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al Jubeir on Sunday told Fox News, "We are determined to punish those who are responsible for this murder." Turkish President Erdogan is expected on Tuesday to give details of Turkey's investigation into Khashoggi's fate.
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister on Sunday admitted that Jamal Khashoggi was murdered.
Speaking on Fox News Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al Jubeir on Sunday said, "We are determined to punish those who are responsible for this murder."
It appears to be the first time Saudi Arabia has publicly admitted to murdering Khashoggi and also the latest shift in the Saudi narrative on the fate of journalist and prominent Riyadh critic Jamal Khashoggi after he disappeared in Turkey on October 2, which up until now has been called a 'killing.'
The new Saudi narrative is that Khashoggi was murdered in what Riyadh insists was a rogue operation.
Al Jubeir said Khashoggi was approached by a "Saudi security team" when he entered the consulate and their account of what happened after that differed from that of Turkish officials, which prompted the Saudis to investigate.
"He was killed in the consulate. We don’t know in terms of details how."
"The individuals who did this did this outside the scope of their authority," he said.
"There obviously was a tremendous mistake made and what compounded the mistake was the attempt to try to cover up. That is unacceptable to the government."
"We don’t know where the body is," Jubeir said. "We are determined to uncover every stone."
Jubeir was the first senior Saudi official to speak on the record since the Saudis admitted on Saturday that Khashoggi was dead.
Erdogan expected to outline details of Turkey's findings
Turkey is expected on Tuesday to announce details of its investigation into the Khashoggi's death.
The announcement on Sunday by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he will "go into detail" about the Khashoggi case in a speech in parliament heightened hopes for some clarity in a case that has been shrouded in mystery, conflicting accounts and shocking allegations since Khashoggi, a prominent critic of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, disappeared after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2.
Erdogan spoke after Saudi Arabia, in a statement early Saturday finally acknowledged that 59-year-old Khashoggi had died in the consulate, though its explanation that he was killed in a "fistfight" was met with international skepticism and allegations of a cover-up designed to absolve the crown prince and presumed heir-apparent to the Saudi throne of any responsibility.
Saudi Arabia said 18 Saudis were arrested and that several top intelligence officials were fired.
Local media in Turkey have reported a different story, saying a Saudi hit squad of 15 people travelled to Turkey to kill the veteran journalist and Washington Post columnist before leaving the country hours later in private jets.
"Why did these 15 people come here? Why were 18 people arrested? All of this needs to be explained in all its details," Erdogan said.
Meanwhile, Istanbul's chief prosecutor summoned 28 more staff members of the Saudi consulate, including Turkish citizens and foreign nationals, to give testimony on Monday, Turkish public broadcaster TRT reported.
Prosecutors have previously questioned consulate staff. Turkish employees reportedly said they were instructed not to go to work around the time that Khashoggi disappeared.
TRT World has obtained exclusive pictures which show Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 https://t.co/2B7EFZo6BK pic.twitter.com/GMsfAsgolL
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) October 21, 2018
Also Sunday, images obtained by TRT World showed Khashoggi as he arrived at a police barrier before entering the consulate on October 2. The images, taken from security camera video, show the writer being searched before continuing toward the building.
