Jamal Khashoggi
Jamal Khashoggi’s final words were “I can’t breathe,” CNN said
Sunday, citing a source who has read the transcript of an audio tape of
the final moments before the journalist’s murder.
The source told the US network the transcript made clear the
killing was premeditated, and suggests several phone calls were made to
give briefings on the progress.
CNN said Turkish officials believe those calls were made to top
officials in Riyadh. Khashoggi, a Saudi contributor to The Washington
Post, was killed shortly after entering the kingdom’s consulate in
Istanbul on October 2.
The transcript of the gruesome recording includes descriptions of
Khashoggi struggling against his murderers, CNN said, and references
sounds of the dissident journalist’s body “being dismembered by a saw.”
The original transcript was prepared by Turkish intelligence
services, and CNN said its source read a translation version and was
briefed on the probe into the journalist’s death.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister on Sunday meanwhile rejected
demands to extradite suspects connected to the murder of Khashoggi as
sought by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Erdogan has repeatedly called on Saudi Arabia to hand over suspects
in the killing. According to Turkey, a 15-member Saudi team was sent to
Istanbul to kill Khashoggi.
Saudi Arabia, however, holds that it was a “rogue” operation gone wrong — a claim undercut by the reported transcript.
For his part US President Donald Trump has refrained from blaming
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, even though the CIA reportedly
concluded that he ordered the assassination.
The murder has damaged Riyadh’s international reputation and
Western countries including the United States, France and Canada have
placed sanctions on nearly 20 Saudi nationals.
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