Developments since Saudi Journalist's Disappearance

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Here is a timeline of events since the disappearance on October 2 of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as scepticism mounts over Riyadh's account of his killing in its Istanbul consulate.

- Disappearance -At around 1:15 pm (1015 GMT) on October 2, Washington Post contributor Khashoggi is recorded entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by a surveillance camera. The image is published by the Washington Post.

He was at the consulate to receive an official document for his upcoming marriage. His Turkish fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, waits outside.

On October 3, the Washington Post raises the alarm, saying he has not been seen since he entered the consulate.

His fiancee camps out in front of the consulate hoping for news.

Turkey insists the journalist is still at the consulate while the US State Department says it is investigating.

On October 4, after an initial period of silence, Riyadh says Khashoggi disappeared "after he left the consulate building".

On October 5, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman tells Bloomberg that Khashoggi is not inside the consulate.

- 'Murdered' -On October 6, a government source says Turkish police believe Khashoggi was murdered inside the consulate "by a team especially sent to Istanbul and who left the same day."

Riyadh calls the claim "baseless".

On October 8, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asks Riyadh to "prove" that Khashoggi left its consulate.

CCTV footage released by Turkish TV shows a van entering the consulate on October 2, before going to the nearby consul's residence.

According to The Washington Post, Turkey has recordings made from inside the building that allegedly prove their claims Khashoggi was tortured and killed at the consulate.

On October 15, Trump says he received a strong denial from King Salman of any involvement.

Visiting Riyadh, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says Saudi Arabia promised to ensure a thorough probe from which no one will be exempt.

Trump says innocence must be presumed.

- 'Severe' response -On October 17, Turkish pro-government daily Yeni Safak reports that Khashoggi was tortured before being decapitated inside the consulate, saying it had heard audio recordings of the incident.

The New York Times says a suspect identified by Turkey in the disappearance was in Prince Mohammed's inner circle. Three other suspects are linked to his security detail.

Trump for the first time says he now believes Khashoggi is dead and warns of "very severe" consequences should Saudi Arabia be proven responsible.

On October 19, local media reports that Turkish investigators have searched a forest in Istanbul as the probe into the disappearance widens.

Investigators earlier already searched the consulate and the residence of the consul.

- Killed in 'brawl' -On October 20, Saudi Arabia admits that Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate.

Saudi Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb says he died after talks at the consulate deteriorated into a "brawl and a fistfight". 

The public prosecutor says 18 Saudi nationals have been detained.

Riyadh simultaneously announces the sacking of top intelligence official Ahmad al-Assiri and royal media advisor Saud al-Qahtani -- both top aides to the crown prince.

The Saudi king orders the creation of a ministerial body chaired by the crown prince to restructure the kingdom's intelligence. 

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir says in an interview with Fox News on October 21 the operation was not ordered by the crown prince.

"We are determined to punish those who are responsible for this murder," he says.

"The individuals who did this, did this outside the scope of their authority. There obviously was a tremendous mistake made, and what compounded the mistake was the attempt to try to cover up."

"We don't know, in terms of details, how. We don't know where the body is."

- Scepticism -In a joint statement, Britain, France and Germany say Riyadh must clarify how Khashoggi died and its account must "be backed by facts to be considered credible".

Trump accuses Saudi Arabia of lying about the killing, saying in an interview "their stories are all over the place".

Erdogan and Trump agree in telephone talks that the killing needs to be "clarified", according to the Turkish presidency. 

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