CIA director headed to Turkey amid Khashoggi investigation

CIA Director Gina Haspel on Monday left for Turkey amid that country’s investigation into journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s death, The Washington Post reported.

The Post, which cited sources familiar with the matter, noted that Haspel’s arrival in Turkey will come as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan plans on Tuesday to announce the findings of his country’s investigation into the death of Khashoggi. 

Saudi Arabia claimed last week that Khashoggi, who was a columnist for the Post, died during a “brawl” inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. That account of events prompted immediate skepticism from the international community.

Turkish officials have previously said that they have evidence that Khashoggi was brutally murdered after entering the consulate earlier this month.

President Trump originally called the Saudi account of events a “good first step” but later said in an interview with The Washington Post that the Saudi stories have been “all over the place.”

“Obviously there’s been deception and there’s been lies,” Trump told the newspaper. 

The president also said Monday he was “not satisfied” with the Saudi government’s explanation.