French Economic Minister Will Not Attend Conference In Saudi ArabiaFrench Economic Minister Will Not Attend Conference In Saudi Arabia

French Economic Minister Will Not Attend Conference In Saudi Arabia

French Economic Minister Will Not Attend Conference In Saudi Arabia: French Economic Minister Bruno Le Maire has become the latest high profile figure to drop out of a prestigious economic conference in Saudi Arabia over the alleged murder of Khashoggi.

“I won’t go to Riyadh next week,” he told France’s Public Senate TV channel on Thursday, saying the journalist’s disappearance was “very serious”.

The Future Investment Initiative was hailed as the start of Saudi Arabia’s revamping of its oil-based economy it has been overshadowed by the mystery surrounding Khashoggi’s whereabouts.

Companies such as Uber, JP Morgan Chase and HSBC have also dropped out, along with media giants CNN, The Financial Times and The New York Times.

A group of Turkish crime scene investigators left the Saudi consul general’s residence in Istanbul after examining the premises for more than nine hours.

“Samples” were recovered from the scene, sources in the prosecutor’s office said without elaborating.

French Economic Minister Will Not attend Conference In Saudi Arab
French Economic Minister Will Not attend Conference In Saudi Arab

“Whether these were samples of DNA or blood samples is unclear. Apparently, according to sources, these were quite convincing in terms of evidence,” Al Jazeera’s Andrew Simmons reported from outside the home in Istanbul.

He said forensics teams scoured not only the residence but the garage and garden as well. Turkish investigators were seen leaving the building carrying boxes and bags.

“A number of vans have left the scene. They’ve been digging the garden in the rear and also have been upstairs doing intensive forensic work,” said Simmons.

There is video evidence that a car drove from the Saudi consulate to the consul general’s residence on the day Khashoggi disappeared, sources say.

Saudi Consul General Mohammed al-Otaibi and his family unexpectedly left Turkey on Tuesday.

Turkish investigators also re-examined the Saudi consulate after searching it for nine hours on Monday as part of the Khashoggi investigation.

Turkey’s interior minister said the investigation’s results will be “shared with the world”, which could happen this week.

A pro-government Turkish newspaper published a gruesome recount of Khashoggi’s alleged killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Who are the Saudi suspects in the Khashoggi case?

Yeni Safak reported Khashoggi was killed within minutes of entering the consulate and his torturers severed his fingers during the interrogation. His killers later beheaded and dismembered him, it said, citing an alleged audio recording of the attack.

The newspaper said Saudi Consul General Mohammed al-Otaibi could be heard on the tape telling those allegedly torturing Khashoggi: “Do this outside; you’re going to get me in trouble.”

The newspaper said one of the men torturing Khashoggi replied: “Shut up if you want to live when you return to [Saudi] Arabia.”

A New York Times report cited a senior Turkish official confirming the details published by Yeni Safak.

Asked if he heard or asked to hear audio of Khashoggi’s alleged slaying while in Turkey, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: “I don’t have anything to say about that.” A State Department spokeswoman later said Pompeo had not heard any such audio.

Turkey has not shared with the US government or European allies graphic audio or video evidence, seven US and European security officials told Reuters news agency. The United States and allies have collected some intelligence through their own sources and methods, which partly confirms news reports based on leaks of audio recordings, four of the sources said.

Saudi officials have not responded to repeated requests for comment on the recordings from The Associated Press in recent days.

Security services in Turkey have used pro-government media to leak details of Khashoggi’s case, adding to the pressure on the kingdom.

President Donald Trump said the US is asking Turkey for audio and video relating to Khashoggi “if it exists”. He also called Saudi Arabia an important ally, noting it is a crucial customer for US military exports.

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