Oct 22, 2018

Body doubles and burning files: Latest Khashoggi case leaks

Zachary Basu

Jamal Khashoggi. Photo: Mohammed Al-Shaikh/AFP via Getty Images

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he will release the findings from Turkey's investigation into the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi's on Tuesday, pledging to go into "full detail" during a meeting of his ruling AK Party.

The big picture: There has been a steady drip of leaks from anonymous Turkish officials ever since news of Khashoggi's disappearance first broke, but the government has yet to release concrete evidence of a premeditated murder plot by the Saudi government. There has been speculation that rather than make such an accusation, Erdogan has been seeking more leverage from Riyadh and Washington. But he says he'll put all his cards on the table tomorrow.

Driving the news:

  • The Saudi foreign minister claimed on Fox News on Sunday that Khashoggi's death was the result of "a rogue operation" gone wrong, and that it was carried out without the knowledge of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS).
  • CNN obtained video surveillance footage Monday that the network said showed a man wearing what appeared to be Khashoggi's clothes, a fake beard and glasses leaving through the back door of the Saudi consulate. A Turkish intelligence source told CNN the man was a member of the 15-person team involved in Khashoggi's alleged assassination, and was brought along as a body double.
  • Per Reuters, Saud al-Qahtani — a top aide to MBS who was fired for his involvement in the operation — gave orders during Khashoggi's killing via Skype. Two sources tell Reuters that the audio of the Skype call is now in Erdogan's possession.
  • Per Al Jazeera, Turkish police found an abandoned car registered to the Saudi consulate in an underground car park in Istanbul. Turkish state media published video footage allegedly showing an unidentified man transferring a package from the consulate vehicle into his own car.
  • A Turkish broadcaster has been airing footage that purportedly shows Saudi consulate staff burning files the day after Khashoggi's disappearance.

Go deeper

Axios

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 11 a.m. ET: 883,225 — Total deaths: 44,156 — Total recoveries: 185,377 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 11 a.m. ET: 189,753 — Total deaths: 4,090 — Total recoveries: 7,141 — Map.
  3. Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index: It's "a tale of two Americas" as the rich are more likely to work from home and the poor are more likely to report to work.
  4. Federal government latest: President Trump said the next two weeks would be "very painful," with projections indicating the virus could kill 100,000–240,000 Americans.
  5. State updates: Washington and California appear to have slowed their surges of new cases — Florida cases have been doubling the past four days, approaching 7,000.
  6. NYPD: Over 1,400 of its employees have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.
  7. What should I do? Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — Q&A: Minimizing your coronavirus risk.
  8. Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it.

Subscribe to Mike Allen's Axios AM to follow our coronavirus coverage each morning from your inbox.

Keep ReadingArrowUpdated 23 mins ago - Politics & Policy
Dan Primack

Private equity hits the brakes amid coronavirus recovery uncertainties

Illustration: Rebecca Zisser/Axios

Private equity is still working on opportunistic deals when it can get a break from portfolio triage, but it's also boarding up the exits amid new questions about the speed of the coronavirus recovery.

The state of play: Sale processes are being shelved daily, even ones that already launched with investment bankers, data rooms, and interested suitors.

Go deeperArrow26 mins ago - Economy & Business
Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian

China's medical diplomacy is empowering euroskeptic leaders

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

The Chinese government has embarked on a highly publicized campaign to provide vital medical supplies to European countries as they fight coronavirus outbreaks within their borders.

Why it matters: Those efforts — and the perception that the European Union has done little to help — are providing fodder for politicians who are eager to hail China and criticize the EU. EU leaders may now have to worry about both Chinese and Russian overtures that weaken European unity.

Go deeperArrow34 mins ago - World