Saudis reject extradition of Khashoggi’s suspects to Turkey

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Adel al Jubeir, said on Sunday the country does not extradite its citizens when asked about a Turkish court's arrest order for two Saudi suspects in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

"We don't extradite our citizens," he said at a news conference at the end of the annual Gulf Cooperation Council summit.

A Turkish court on Wednesday issued arrest warrants for two former Saudi officials for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. 

The decision of the court came after Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office demanded arrests of Saud al Qahtani, a top aide to the Saudi crown prince, and Ahmed al Asiri, former deputy intelligence chief, for their alleged involvement in the killing. 

Earlier, Istanbul's chief prosecutor filed a request for warrants on suspicion of planning the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, documents seen by TRT World said on Wednesday.

Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. 

The journalist, who had lived for a time in the US and wrote for The Washington Post, had been critical of the Saudi regime. 

He was killed in an elaborate plot as he visited the consulate for marriage paperwork.

US intelligence officials have concluded that the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman had ordered the killing.

According to Turkey, a 15-member Saudi team was sent to Istanbul to kill Khashoggi.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the order to kill Khashoggi came from the highest levels of the Saudi government, but has insisted it was not King Salman.

Erdogan insisted last weekend during a trip to South America that Riyadh hand over the suspects, but said the kingdom was not cooperating.

Riyadh has since detained 21 people over the murder.

Despite speculation that the powerful crown prince ordered the hit, the kingdom has strongly denied he was involved.

The murder has damaged Riyadh's international reputation and Western countries including the United States, France and Canada have placed sanctions on nearly 20 Saudi nationals.