'Hit squad took CCTV with them' claim Turkish police investigating Khashoggi disappearance

The 15 Saudi nationals who are at the focus of an investigation into the disappearance of a prominent Saudi journalist in Istanbul took much-needed CCTV footage from inside the consulate when they left Turkey, Turkish security officials have said.

Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi disappeared last week after he entered the Saudi consulate to obtain official documents ahead of his marriage to his Turkish fiancee.

The Saudi consulate claimed there were no CCTV recordings inside the buildings at the time of Khashoggi’s disappearance.

A group of 15 Saudi nationals, which flew into Turkey on jets and was at the embassy at the time of Khashoggi’s disappearance, is at the focus of Ankara’s investigation.

Security officials told Turkish news outlet TRT that they now believe the 15 Saudi nationals took the CCTV footage upon their departure from Turkey.

It is suspected that they left on two jets – one group left Turkey to Riyadh via Dubai, while the other group left to Cairo.

Meanwhile, the Turkish foreign ministry has announced that it is now agreeing to allow Turkish authorities search the kingdom's Istanbul consulate after Khashoggi’s disappearance.

"Saudi authorities said they were open to cooperation and that a search can be conducted at the consulate building," the ministry said in a statement.

On Monday, Ankara sought permission to search Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul.

The request was made after the foreign ministry summoned the Saudi ambassador for a second time over the disappearance of the Washington Post contributor, Turkish television NTV said on Monday.

A Turkish diplomatic source confirmed the Saudi envoy was "invited" to the ministry on Sunday in Ankara and was met by deputy foreign minister Sedat Onal.