Turkish media say Saudi vehicle scouted forest before Khashoggi killing

Turkish media publish a security camera image allegedly showing a vehicle belonging to the Saudi consulate “scouting” a forest in the outskirts of Istanbul before the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The image obtained by state television TRT and other media today shows a black car with a diplomatic license plate at an entrance to Belgrade Forest.

Anadolu Agency releases footage of a Saudi team in a car with diplomatic plates belonging to Saudi Arabia's consulate during a scout of the Belgrad Forest in Istanbul on October 1, the day before journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s killing pic.twitter.com/S0O5L9bBjY

— TRT World (@trtworld) October 24, 2018

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday that consulate officials had made “reconnaissance” trips to the forest as well as the city of Yalova a day before Khashoggi was killed, while Turkish officials have told the AP that investigators are looking into the possibility that the journalist’s remains may have been disposed at those two locations.

The photo is the latest in a string of images leaked by security officials to media organizations, in an apparent effort to exert pressure on Saudi officials.

— AP