Saudi prosecutor visits Istanbul court house in Khashoggi investigation

Saudi public prosecutor Saud Al Mojeb visited Istanbul's main court house on Tuesday as part of an investigation into the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Turkish broadcaster NTV reported.

Khashoggi's death at the consulate four weeks ago has escalated into a crisis for the world's top oil exporter, which initially denied any knowledge of or a role in his death.

Mojeb arrived in Istanbul on Sunday night and held talks on Monday with Istanbul's chief prosecutor, days after he contradicted weeks of Saudi statements by saying that Khashoggi's killing was premeditated.

He will hold a second round of talks with the Turkish prosecutor, Irfan Fidan, at the court house on Tuesday, NTV said.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and a critic of Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed inside the consulate after he went there to get documents for his forthcoming marriage.

Saudi officials initially insisted that Khashoggi left the compound on Oct. 2 after completing his paperwork. Turkish officials, however, said they believed he was killed inside by a team sent from Saudi Arabia.

Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and columnist for The Washington Post, had gone missing since entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2.

After weeks of denying any knowledge of his whereabouts, Saudi officials last week admitted that Khashoggi had died inside the consulate building.

Turkish police have been investigating the case, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said 18 people arrested in Saudi Arabia over the killing should be sent to Turkey to face trial.