Dubai
Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor said on Thursday the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi was premeditated, citing a joint Saudi-Turkish investigation, the state media reported.

Saudi officials had earlier said an internal investigation suggested Khashoggi was killed in a botched operation to “negotiate” his return to the kingdom. Initially, Riyadh denied having anything to do with Khashoggi’s disappearance after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2.

Turkey and Western allies of Riyadh have voiced deep doubt towards Saudi explanations of the killing. Turkey has dismissed Saudi efforts to blame rogue operatives and urged the kingdom to search “top to bottom” for those responsible for the killing.