The Latest: Germany urges Saudi to clear up writer’s fate

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The Latest on missing Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi (all times local):

1:15 p.m.

Germany says it is “very concerned” about the disappearance of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, and is calling on Saudi Arabia to “participate fully” in clearing up reports that he may have been killed.

Khashoggi went missing over a week ago after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Turkish officials allege he was killed inside the consulate.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said “the suspicion that is being talked about here is appalling, and so this disappearance must be cleared up as quickly and thoroughly as possible.”

He added that “Saudi Arabia must participate fully in clearing this up.”

Foreign ministry spokesman Rainer Breul said Foreign Minister Heiko Maas gave a similar message to the Saudi ambassador in Berlin earlier this week.

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1 p.m.

The Washington Post says the Turkish government has told U.S. officials it has audio and video proof that missing Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi was killed and dismembered in the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul.

In a report Friday, the newspaper, for which Khashoggi is a columnist, cited anonymous officials saying the recordings show a Saudi security team detaining the writer when he went to the consulate on Oct. 2 to pick up a document for his upcoming wedding.

The Associated Press was not immediately able to confirm the report, and Turkish officials would not comment.

Saudi Arabia has called the allegation it abducted or harmed Khashoggi “baseless.”

However, it has offered no evidence to support its claim he left the consulate and vanished even though his fiance waiting outside.

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12:55 p.m.

Turkey’s state-run news agency says a delegation from Saudi Arabia has arrived in Turkey as part of an investigation into missing Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi.

Anadolu Agency said Friday that the delegation would hold talks with Turkish officials over the weekend. It did not provide further details.

On Thursday, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Turkey and Saudi Arabia would form a “joint working group” to look into Khashoggi’s disappearance. The journalist vanished last week after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Turkish officials have said The Washington Post contributor may have been killed inside the consulate, but they haven’t offered any evidence. Saudi Arabia has denied the allegation as “baseless.”