Washington Post publishes passport scans of suspected Khashoggi killers

The Washington Post released images of the passports carried by seven of the 15-man squa it is claimed were sent from Saudi Arabia to murder Khashoggi at the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul.

It blurred out the names and images on the passports as it "has not independently verified" the information, but said it matches the identities of suspects already named by Turkey.

Khashoggi - a columnist with the Washington-based daily - disappeared on 2 October after visiting Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul.

Turkish intelligence have claimed a 15-man Saudi team entered Istanbul that day to carry out the killing.

Among the group was a leading coroner and other security officials, who Turkish intelligence alleged are linked to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Saudi Arabia's al-Arabiya broadcaster claimed the 15 men were "tourists".

New gruesome details emerged on Wednesday about Khashoggi's alleged murder, with Turkish sources saying he was tortured before being decapitated by the agents.

Turkish investigators have searched the Istanbul consulate after two weeks of delays by the Saudis, but not before workers were sent by Riyadh to scrub the building clean and repaint areas.

"People who have nothing to hide don't behave like this," one source told the Washington Post.

Riyadh has also reportedly denied Turkish investigators access to the consul general's home, who fled to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

Turkey said it hoped Istanbul police would search the building on Wednesday.