Iran press/Middle East: A source briefed on the investigation into the killing of the Washington Post columnist, who has read a translated transcript of an audio recording of Jamal Khashoggi's painful last moments, said it was clear that the killing on October 2 was no botched rendition attempt, but the execution of a premeditated plan to murder the journalist.
During the course of the gruesome scene, the source describes Khashoggi struggling against a group of people determined to kill him. "I can't breathe," Khashoggi says, CNN reported.
The transcript notes the sounds of Khashoggi's body being dismembered by a saw, as the alleged perpetrators are advised to listen to music to block out the sound.
According to the source, the transcript suggests that a series of phone calls are made, briefing them on progress. Turkish officials believe the calls were made to senior figures in Riyadh.
Some of the details in the transcript seen by CNN's source have emerged in previous reports of the recording's content. But this is the fullest account of the transcript that has so far been published.
It is likely to increase pressure on the US president Donald Trump's administration, which has been determined to separate the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salam from the murder, and sought to frame the issue as a binary choice between supporting or cutting off a key partner in the Middle East. US President Donald Trump has been at odds with the CIA, which, sources say, has concluded bin Salman personally ordered the killing.
The Washington Post, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter, said that the CIA had reached the conclusion that the Saudi de facto ruler had ordered the assassination, contradicting Riyadh’s claims that he was not involved in the killing.
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The revelations also threaten to undermine a key plank of an initial Saudi explanation for Khashoggi's death, that it was a rogue operation that went horribly wrong.
The original transcript of the audio was prepared by Turkish intelligence services.
In Oct 16, 2018, Turkish media based on first audio leaks reported that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed by being gradually dismembered by a Saudi assassination squad tied to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman inside Saudi consulate.
Jamal Khashoggi audio leaks shows he was killed within minutes of entering Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Khashoggi, 59, an outspoken critic of Mohammed bin Salman, disappeared after he entered the Saudi diplomatic mission in the Turkish city on October 2 to complete some paperwork for his forthcoming marriage.
After 18 days of silence and rejecting claims that Khashoggi was killed, the Saudi government finally bowed down to international pressure on October 20th and claimed the prominent journalist was killed in a fist-fight inside Istanbul consulate.
Recently, Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Irfan Fidan said the ill-fated journalist had been strangled upon his arrival in the consulate, and then his body was dismembered and destroyed.
Riyadh claims that the Saudi royal family had no prior knowledge about any murder plot.
Khashoggi's killing has put mounting pressure on Riyadh and Mohammad Bin Salman and undermined them. 101/202
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