Khashoggi's body incinerated in brick oven at Saudi consular residence, report says

The body of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi may have been incinerated in an oven in the home of the former Saudi Consul General to Istanbul, an investigation has revealed.
2 min read
04 March, 2019
Saudi officials have they do not know the location of Khashoggi's body [Al Jazeera]

The body of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi may have been incinerated in an oven in the home of the former Saudi Consul General to Istanbul, an investigation has revealed.

The latest details of the fate of Khashoggi were disclosed in an Al Jazeera Arabic documentary aired on Sunday evening.

The channel interviewed the contractor who built the large brick oven at the Istanbul home of Mohammad al-Otaibi months before the brutal killing of the insider-turned-critic.

"Otaibi gave the contractor a paper with the specifications for the oven, which surprised him as they were unusual," an Al Jazeera news report said.

"The contractor said the oven was deep and capable of reaching temperatures over 1,000 degrees Celsius - enough to smelt metal - and ran on gas," it added.

The report added that a Turkish investigation has concluded that the oven was likely used to burn parts of Khashoggi's body.

"Turkish authorities monitored that the oven in the house's garden was used over three days after the assassination team brought bags carrying parts of Khashoggi's to the house," the report said.

"Turkish authorities also monitored that the Saudi Consulate ordered 45 kilogrammes of raw meat from a restaurant - in a possible attempt to cover up the burning of the body," it added.

The outlet published images of the oven in the home of the Consul General, which is located 200 metres away from the Saudi Consulate.

The residence was searched by police as a part of the investigation into the murder.

The dissident journalist and Washington Post contributor was dismembered after being killed on October 2 at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul but his remains have not yet been found.

After weeks of denial, Saudi Arabia admitted that Khashoggi had been killed after entering the consulate to obtain the paperwork necessary for his upcoming marriage to a Turkish woman called Hatice Cengiz.

Turkey says he was killed by a team of 15 Saudis who strangled him. The murder sparked international outrage and damaged the kingdom's image.

Riyadh arrested a number of senior Saudi officials allegedly involved in the murder.

Saudi officials claime they do not know the location of Khashoggi's body, despite having detained the Saudi team that murdered him.