Newly revealed security video shows a member of the 15-man team suspected in the death of Jamal Khashoggi impersonating the dissident Saudi Arabian journalist after he was killed.
In exclusive law enforcement surveillance footage CNN aired Monday, the man appears to have left the Saudi consulate by a back door, and was later seen in the dead journalist's clothing, with a fake beard and glasses, at Istanbul's Blue Mosque in the hours after the journalist was last seen alive Oct. 2.
The footage, which is part of the Turkish government's investigation, shows a man, identified as Mustafa al-Madani, who was allegedly part of the team sent to kill Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate while he was there for a scheduled meeting to get papers for his wedding.
The Turkish official told CNN that Madani, 57, is of similar age and build to the dead journalist, and he was brought to Istanbul to serve as a body double.
A Saudi source would not confirm or deny the report, but maintained that Khashoggi was not intentionally killed.
The surveillance video shows Madani leaving the consulate building wearing what appeared to be the dead journalist's jacket, gray shirt, and pants. However, he appeared to be wearing the same pair of sneakers he had arrived in. Later in the day, he appears to be shown throwing away the clothing and beard and returning to the consulate in his own clothing.
"Khashoggi's clothes were probably still warm when Madani put them on," the Turkish official told CNN.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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