Canada has heard Turkish recordings on Khashoggi's killing

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Canadian intelligence officers have listened to Turkish recordings of what happened to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday, adding that he was discussing with allies what next steps should be taken.

Khashoggi was killed at Saudi Arabia's Istanbul consulate by a team sent from Riyadh. Saudi authorities have acknowledged that the killing was premeditated, but his body has not been found.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said over the weekend that audio recordings of the killing had been given to the US, French, German and British governments.

When asked on a visit to Paris whether Canadian intelligence had heard the Turkish recordings, Trudeau said: "Yes," although he added that he had not heard them personally.

"Canada's intelligence agencies have been working very closely on this issue with Turkish intelligence and Canada has been fully briefed on what Turkey had to share," said Trudeau, adding that he had also spoken to Erdogan about the issue in Paris over the weekend.

A man wears a mask of killed journalist Jamal Khashoggi during a commemoration event of Khashoggi's supporters in Istanbul, November 11, 2018. /VCG Photo

Canada is part of the five eyes intelligence network which shares information along with the US, Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

Trudeau faces a dilemma as an election approaches over how to clamp down credibly on Riyadh over its human rights record while sparing a 13-billion-US-dollar arms deal with the kingdom.

He is under pressure to freeze the contract for armored vehicles built in Canada by US-based General Dynamics, although the deal underpins 3,000 jobs in the small city of London, Ontario.

Sidestepping a question on whether the recordings could change Ottawa's relationship with Riyadh and have consequences, Trudeau said he was continuing to talk with allies about the investigation and accountability for those behind the murder.

"We are in discussions with our like-minded allies as to the next steps with regard to Saudi Arabia," Trudeau said.

Source(s): Reuters