Turkish Prosecutor Preparing Indictments in Khashoggi Killing

The prosecutor’s office in Istanbul says it is readying indictments against 20 people believed involved in the killing of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at Saudi Arabia’s consulate in the city in October 2018. Among those to be indicted are Ahmed al-Asiri, formerly a top official in Saudi intelligence, and Saud al-Qahtani, a former adviser to Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. Both resigned following the killing, which foreign intelligence bodies believe was carried out at the orders of the crown prince, who has denied the charge. The prosecutor’s office described both Asiri and Qahtani as having “instigated premeditated murder with monstrous intent.” Khashoggi, a bitter critic of Saudi policies and in self-exile, had gone to the consulate at an appointed time to obtain papers required for him to marry his Turkish fiancée. It is alleged that in anticipation, a Saudi hit team was dispatched to Turkey, killing the journalist inside the consulate before dismembering his body, which has not been found.