Journalist ‘used Apple Watch to record his own torture and murder at Saudi Arabia consulate in Turkey’
Jamal Khashoggi – who went missing after entering the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul – was wearing the watch in the crucial moments before his disappearance
A journalist used his Apple Watch to record conversations with Saudi officials and prove he was tortured to death, a Turkish newspaper has claimed.
Jamal Khashoggi, who went missing after entering the Saudi Arabia consulate in the Turkish capital of Istanbul last week, was wearing the watch in the crucial moments before his disappearance, pro-government newspaper Sabah reported.
The paper on Saturday cited “reliable sources in a special intelligence department” and claimed the Washington Post journalist had turned on the recording feature before entering the embassy.
“The moments when Khashoggi was interrogated, tortured and murdered were recorded in the Apple Watch’s memory,” the paper said, adding that the watch was in sync with his iPhone, which he had left with his girlfriend.
It follows two senior Turkish officials telling Reuters the 60-year-old reporter had been wearing a black Apple Watch before entering the embassy and that it was connected to a mobile phone he had left behind.
The Turkish paper claims Saudi officials realised Khashoggi was wearing the watch only after he was killed, and that they used his fingerprint to unlock it.
They reportedly managed to delete some files, but not all of them.
The reports, however, are at odds with an Apple representative confirming to CNN that the watch has no such fingerprint feature to unlock it.
Turkey has accused Saudi Arabia of being responsible for the abduction and murder of Khashoggi, a fierce critic of regime in Riyad. Saudi Arabia vehemently denies the allegations, claiming Khashoggi left the embassy prior to disappearing on October 2.
Saying there should be legislation in place guaranteeing accountability, he said: “I must say I am feeling worried [at] this apparent new normal.
“Because this kind of incident is multiplying and it’s absolutely essential to make sure that the international community says clearly that this is not something that can happen.”
