NEW DELHI: In a startling revelation in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a surveillance footage on Monday surfaced showing a man walking around in the scribe's clothes in Istanbul after his murder inside the Saudi consulate in the Turkish city. In the footage aired by the US broadcaster CNN, one person from the 15-member team suspected to be behind the death of Jamal Khashoggi dressed up in his clothes and was captured on surveillance cameras. Earlier, news agency Reuters also reported the same and said that an operative donned Khashoggi’s clothes, eyeglasses and Apple watch and left through the back door of the consulate in an attempt to make it look like Khashoggi had walked out of the building.

The CNN said it obtained exclusive law enforcement surveillance footage, part of the Turkish government's investigation, that appeared to show the man leaving the Saudi consulate by the back door, wearing Khashoggi's clothes, a fake beard and glasses. The Turkish official identified the man in the video as Mustafa al-Madani, who was allegedly part of what investigators said was a hit squad, sent to kill the journalist at the Saudi consulate during an appointment on October 2 to get papers for his upcoming wedding.

The CNN aired the footage on Monday, citing a Turkish official as describing the man as a "body double".

The same man was seen in Khashoggi's clothing, according to the Turkish case, at the city's famous Blue Mosque hours after the journalist was last seen alive entering the consulate. According to the Turkish official, Madani, 57, of similar height, age and build to Khashoggi, 59, was used as a decoy for the journalist. Another senior Turkish official told CNN that the video showed that Madani was brought to Istanbul to act as a body double.

"You don't need a body double for a rendition or an interrogation," the official said. "Our assessment has not changed since October 6. This was a premeditated murder and the body was moved out of the consulate."

Video: CNN



According to Reuters, Madani later went to the Sultanahmet district where he disposed of Khashoggi's belongings.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that he will make statements about murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi during his party's parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday. Speaking at an event in Istanbul on Sunday, Erdogan stated that Turkey seeks justice and will reveal the "naked truth", reports Xinhua news agency. "Why did 15 people come here (from Saudi Arabia) and why were 18 people arrested? I'm going to tell you in a very different way on Tuesday. We're going to go into detail," he said.

After 18 days in which it insisted it had no involvement in the Khashoggi disappearance, Riyadh on early Saturday morning said that an initial investigation by the government's general prosecutor found that the Saudi journalist had been in discussions with people inside the consulate when a quarrel broke out and escalated to a fatal fistfight.

It said 18 Saudis have been arrested in connection with his death and two top aides of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as three other intelligence agents, have been sacked. Saudi Arabia has plunged into an international crisis over the fate of Khashoggi, who was critical of the crown prince.

He went to the consulate on October 2 for paperwork needed for his upcoming wedding to his Turkish fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, who stood outside the consulate building.

(With inputs from IANS)