Berlin: All behind Khashoggi murder should be punished

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) - Germany urged Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to support Turkey’s investigation into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and bring the perpetrators and their superiors to justice.

Speaking at a news conference in Berlin, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas stressed that Germany expects a “full investigation” into the killing of Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

“We have supported the investigation done by the Turkish authorities. And we also think that the Saudi authorities should have supported the investigation more than they did. Many questions remain open,” he said.

Maas stressed that all those responsible for the murder should be brought to justice and punished.

“We expect that those responsible for this crime will be held responsible. Not just the perpetrators, but also those who ordered this murder, if indeed there were such people,” he added.

Khashoggi, a Saudi national and columnist for The Washington Post, was killed on Oct. 2 inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

After weeks of denying involvement, the kingdom admitted that Khashoggi had been killed at the consulate but claimed that the Saudi royal family had no prior knowledge of a plot to murder him.

So far, 18 people, including security officers, have been arrested in Saudi Arabia in connection with the murder.

Last week, Turkish prosecutors announced their preliminary findings, saying Khashoggi was strangled to death in a premeditated killing soon after he entered the consulate.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office said Khashoggi's body was disposed of after being dismembered.

Saudi authorities have so far claimed that they do not know the whereabouts of his remains.