A second audio recording related to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which was obtained by the Turkish authorities, reveals the premediated nature of this crime, Hurriyet newspaper columnist Abdulkadir Selvi claims.
According to Selvi, the recording was made about 15 minutes prior to Khashoggi’s arrival at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, and features the members of “the Saudi team” discussing “how to execute” the journalist.
"They are reviewing their plan, which was previously prepared, and reminding themselves of the duties of each member," the columnist states.
Citing people familiar with the matter, the Washington Post reported that the CIA arrived at its conclusion after examining a variety of evidence, including a phone call between Khashoggi and the Crown Prince's brother, Khalid, who is also the Saudi Ambassador to the United States.
A spokesperson for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, DC, dismissed the CIA's conclusions as "false."
READ MORE: Alleged Khashoggi 'Hit Squad' Carried Syringes, Scissors in Luggage — Reports
The Saudi government has characterized Khashoggi's death as a rogue operation and detained 21 suspects, charging 11 of them and with the prosecution demanding death penalty for five of the accused.
Many of the names overlap with those sanctioned by the US Treasury. The Saudi chief prosecutor reported that Khashoggi died when he was jumped in the consulate, "forcibly restrained, and injected with a large amount of a drug resulting in an overdose that led to his death."
