By Mehmet Ali Derdiyok
ISTANBUL (AA) – Turkish police on Monday found a diplomatic vehicle which belongs to the Saudi Consulate in a parking lot as part of the probe into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to security sources.
Amid Turkey's efforts to illuminate the Khashoggi case, Istanbul police found the diplomatic car in the city's Sultangazi district.
Police asked for the permission of the chief public prosecutor's office and the Consulate General of Saudi Arabia to search the vehicle.
Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, had gone missing since entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.
After days of denying to know his whereabouts, Saudi Arabia on Saturday claimed Khashoggi died during a fight inside the consulate.
On the day of Khashoggi’s disappearance, 15 other Saudis, including several officials, arrived in Istanbul on two planes and visited the consulate while he was still inside, according to Turkish police sources. All of the identified individuals have since left Turkey.
A joint Turkish-Saudi team completed an investigation into the case on Thursday after searching the residence of the consul general as well as the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.
On Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he will make a statement on Khashoggi’s killing on Tuesday during his party's group meeting at the parliament.
