Turkish newspaper shares slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's last words


A Turkish newspaper with close ties to the government is reporting what it says were the final words of slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Khashoggi was murdered on Oct. 2, 2018, inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. He was killed by a Saudi hit squad, as his fiancée waited outside of the building. The Sabah newspaper reports that a recording of the incident was obtained by Turkey's intelligence agency, and Khashoggi is heard speaking with several of his killers.
Per the transcript, one of the members of the hit squad is heard telling Khashoggi that Interpol has ordered his arrest and he will be returned to Riyadh. Khashoggi responds that he knows this isn't true, and reminds the man that his fiancée is waiting for him. Khashoggi is also heard being pressured to send his son a message saying if he doesn't hear from him, not to worry, Sabah reports. "I will write nothing," Khashoggi responds.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
One of the men is heard threatening Khashoggi, telling him if he doesn't willingly go to Saudi Arabia, "you know what will happen in the end." Khashoggi was then apparently drugged, Sabah reports, and before he lost consciousness, he said, "Don't cover my mouth. I have asthma, don't do it. You'll suffocate me."
Some of these details were included in a United Nations report released this June, which calls for an investigation into Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's possible role in Khashoggi's death; he has denied being involved. Saudi Arabia couldn't stick to one story about what happened to Khashoggi, and after putting forward several different scenarios, the kingdowm put the blame on a group of rogue officers.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Bluetoothing: the phenomenon driving HIV spike in Fiji
Under the Radar ‘Blood-swapping’ between drug users fuelling growing health crisis on Pacific island
-
Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetime
Feature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
-
Book reviews: ‘We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution’ and ‘Will There Ever Be Another You’
Feature The many attempts to amend the U.S. Constitution and Patricia Lockwood’s struggle with long Covid
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
US government shuts down amid health care standoff
Speed Read Democrats said they won’t vote for a deal that doesn’t renew Affordable Care Act health care subsidies