This archive report was first published on 24 December 2019.
On September 28, 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent Saudi critic, and his fiancée, Hatice Cengiz, arrived at the local marriage office in Istanbul. To marry, Khashoggi needed Saudi paperwork, which he obtained from the consulate. Unbeknownst to him, a Saudi spy, Ahmed al-Muzaini, was working inside the consulate, concocting a plan to intercept Khashoggi when he returned.
Fast-forward to Monday night into Tuesday morning, September 25-26, 2018. Saudi agents converged in Istanbul aboard separate flights. Muzaini flew back from Riyadh, while a commercial flight carried a three-man team from Cairo. A private jet from Riyadh landed around 3:30 a.m., carrying nine Saudi officials, including Salah al-Tubaigy, a high-ranking forensics expert, and Mustafa al-Madani, an engineer who looked like Khashoggi.
Our investigation reveals that Maher Mutreb, the leader of the operation, had direct links to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Mutreb was seen with the prince in Houston, Boston, Madrid, and Paris, as part of a charm offensive to paint the prince as a moderate reformer. However, Mutreb's past actions suggest a ruthless efficiency in orchestrating Khashoggi's killing.
On Tuesday morning, Khashoggi flew back from London, and the Saudis nearly crossed paths at the airport. The team checked into two hotels near the consulate, and Mutreb left his hotel three hours before Khashoggi's scheduled arrival. The rest of the team soon followed, and they were spotted at the consulate entrance. Mutreb arrived first, followed by al-Tubaigy and al-Madani.
At 1:13 p.m., Khashoggi and his fiancée arrived at the consulate. He gave her his cellphones before entering, and it was the last time they saw him. Inside, Khashoggi was brought to the consul general's office, where the hit team was waiting. Sources briefed on the evidence say Khashoggi was quickly attacked, dragged to another room, and killed within minutes. Al-Tubaigy then dismembered his body while listening to music.
As the Saudis tried to cover their tracks, a body double, al-Madani, pretended to be Khashoggi, wearing his clothes but with his own sneakers. The van allegedly carrying Khashoggi's body made the two-minute drive to the Saudi consul's residence, where it was hidden from public view. The body double continued to weave a false trail through the city, changing back into his own clothes and joking around in surveillance footage.
Meanwhile, more Saudi officials arrived at the airport, and Mutreb and others checked out of their hotel, moving through airport security. Al-Muzaini, the spy, also headed to the airport, but Khashoggi's fiancée remained outside the consulate, pacing in circles, until she raised the alarm that Khashoggi was missing.
Nine days later, the Saudis sent another team to Istanbul, claiming it was to investigate the killing. However, among them were a toxicologist and a chemist, who had ties to the hit team. Turkish officials later said this team's mission was not to investigate but to cover up the killing. The Saudi story has changed, and prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for several suspects, but Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman remains unaccountable.
