Now Saudi officials say they did in fact send a team to Turkey that included a forensics expert and a member whose job was to dress in the 59-year-old writer's clothes and pretend to be him — though they still insist that his death was an accident.

Khashoggi, a US resident who wrote for the Washington Post, had gone to the consulate to get papers for his upcoming wedding.

PHOTO: Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi and his fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, at an apartment building in Istanbul, Turkey. (AP: A News)

Prince Mohammed, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, has come under mounting pressure, with critics suspecting he ordered the high-profile operation or at least knew about it. Saudi authorities say they have arrested 18 suspects and dismissed senior officials.

The Prince appeared briefly at an afternoon panel Tuesday alongside Jordan's King Abdullah II, but made no public remarks.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his nation's Parliament on Tuesday the killing was "pre-planned and premeditated".

He said three operatives arrived in Istanbul the day before on an apparent reconnaissance mission. The next day 15 people came to the consulate.

Mr Erdogan alleged the group travelled to the consulate and called the journalist to confirm his appointment to seek documentation he needed to marry his fiancee.

"The first thing they did was remove the hard disk and camera of the consulate," Mr Erdogan said.

Share This Post