Saudis admit Khashoggi died at consulate

Saudi state media released statements early Saturday saying that journalist Jamal Khashoggi did die at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, blaming his death on a “fistfight” that broke out. The report noted that 18 Saudi suspects were in custody and four top intelligence officials had been fired.

Khashoggi visited the consulate that day to obtain paperwork to marry his Turkish fiancée but was never seen leaving. The announcements from Saudi Arabia contradict leaks from Turkish media that said Khashoggi was tortured, killed, and dismembered, and remarks from Turkish officials who said an “assassination squad” from Saudi Arabia flew in to the country with the intent to kill the vocal critic of Saudi actions and policies under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

“Discussions took place with the citizen Jamal Khashoggi during his presence in the consulate of the kingdom in Istanbul by the suspects [that] did not go as required and developed in a negative way, leading to a fistfight,” one of the Saudi statements read. “The brawl led to his death and their attempt to conceal and hide what happened.”

The statements did not say what happened to Khashoggi’s body after his death.

The deputy head of Turkey’s ruling party said his country will “never allow a cover-up” of the killing, adding that Turkey would share its evidence to the world and that a “conclusive result” of the investigation is close.

U.S. President Donald Trump called Saudi Arabia’s announcement and actions a “good first step,” telling a reporter Friday night that he found the explanation credible. But some U.S. lawmakers were skeptical. “It’s hard to find this latest ‘explanation’ as credible,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., tweeted Friday night.