The brutal 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul continues to send shockwaves through international diplomacy, with recent comments from former US President Donald Trump reigniting global outrage.
On October 2, 2018, Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi entered the consulate to collect documents for his upcoming wedding. He was never seen alive again. What unfolded was a meticulously planned assassination that would later be revealed through chilling audio evidence and forensic investigation.
The Gruesome Seven-Minute Murder
Turkish officials determined that Khashoggi was murdered within just seven minutes of entering the building. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu confirmed he had listened to the disturbing audio recording of the killing, which he described as disgusting.
The tape allegedly captures Khashoggi's final moments, including his desperate struggle to breathe. According to sources who read translated transcripts, the journalist could be heard saying "I can't breathe" three times in succession as he fought for air.
Most horrifyingly, the recording reportedly captures forensic expert Salah Mohammed Abdah Tubaigy expressing enjoyment as he instructed fellow hitmen to listen to music while dismembering Khashoggi's body with a bone saw. Sounds of screaming, gasping, and the saw itself suggest the journalist was still alive when the dismemberment began.
Political Fallout and Denials
Initially, Saudi authorities provided conflicting accounts of Khashoggi's disappearance, first claiming he left the consulate unharmed, then alleging he died during a fistfight. By October 2018, Attorney General Shaikh Suood bin Abdullah Al Mo'jab acknowledged the killing appeared premeditated.
The CIA later concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered the assassination of Khashoggi, who had been a vocal critic of the ruler. In June 2019, a UN report held the State of Saudi Arabia responsible for Khashoggi's extrajudicial execution.
While Crown Prince Salman has denied prior knowledge of the killing, he admitted some responsibility, telling PBS: "It happened under my watch. I get all the responsibility, because it happened under my watch."
Cover-Up Attempts and Body Disposal
Evidence suggests extensive efforts to conceal the crime. CCTV footage appears to show a body double, Mustafa al-Madani, leaving the consulate wearing Khashoggi's clothes shortly after the murder. A senior Turkish official noted: "Khashoggi's clothes were probably still warm when Madani put them on."
Additional footage from December 2018 shows men carrying black bags and suitcases into the Saudi consul general's Istanbul home, believed to contain Khashoggi's remains. Turkish officials suspect his body was dissolved after dismemberment to eliminate evidence.
To this day, Khashoggi's body has never been recovered, and the complete truth about its disposal remains unknown.
The case continues to complicate US-Saudi relations, with President Trump recently defending Crown Prince Salman during an Oval Office event, stating: "Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen. But he knew nothing about it."
As the world remembers Khashoggi's horrific final moments, the pursuit of accountability for this brutal act continues to test international diplomatic relationships and press freedom protections globally.
