Jamal Khashoggi killing: How the case has unfolded

Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi writer living in the U.S., disappearedin early October and an investigation later concluded he was killed.Khashoggiheld prominent positions at several pro-royal media outlets in Saudi Arabia and even advised top government officialsbut later became a critical voice and left the country.

Here's a look back at the case, which began when the writer walked into the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

Oct. 2:Khashoggigoesto the Saudi Arabian Consulatein Istanbul to try to get papers required to marry his Turkish fiance, Hatice Cengiz. She watcheshim enter and waitsfor him to emerge,but the journalist hasn't been seen since.

Oct. 4: The consulate saysKhashoggi had left the building and then disappeared. But reports from Turkish officials saythey believed the columnist was still inside the building.

Oct. 6:Turkish officials say theybelievethe columnist, who had written critically about the Saudi royal family, had been killed in the consulate.

"We believe that the murder was premeditated and the body was subsequently moved out of the consulate," an unnamed Turkish official told Reuters.

Watch a clip from earlier this year, whenKhashoggitoldThe National there is "no room for critical dissent"in Saudi Arabia.

Turkey investigates missing journalist

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Duration 1:14

Self-exiled Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi said earlier this year that the Saudi government has been moving toward nationalist radicalism.

Oct. 8:Turkish authorities summonthe Saudi ambassador, saying the Saudis needto provide evidence that the missing man had actually left the consulate.

"If he left, you must prove this, you will prove this, even if it's with visuals," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saysduring a visit to Hungary. "Those who ask Turkish authorities, 'Where is he?' should first be asking, 'How did this happen?'"

Oct. 9:Turkish officials announcethey would search the consulate. A spokesperson for the Turkish Foreign Affairs Department saysSaudi officials had indicated they were "open to co-operation."

Khashoggi's fiance writesan opinion piece in the Washington Post imploring U.S. President Donald Trump to helpand urging the Saudis to release CCTV footage from the consulate.

Oct. 10: Trump wadesmore deeply into the issue, telling reporters he had spoken with the Saudis about what he called a "bad situation," but he did not disclose details of his conversations. He also saysthe U.S. is working "very closely" with Turkey, "and I think we'll get to the bottom of it."

Trump's remarks come as Turkish media releaseimages of what they saywas an "assassination squad" arriving in the country.

Oct. 11:Trump appearson Fox & Friends and sayshis administration is taking the case "very, very seriously."But he also tellsFox News that limiting arms sales to Saudi Arabia, a close U.S. ally with a deal to buy hundreds of billions of dollars worth of American weaponry, "would be hurting us."

Oct. 12: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeauweighsin,saying the case is "of courseof concern, and we join with our allies around the world in expressing serious issues with these reports."Trudeau sayshis government would respect an agreement negotiated under the previous government that allowed the sale of Canadian-made light-armoured vehicles to the Saudis.

• ANALYSIS | Khashoggi'sdisappearance teststhe U.S.-Saudi alliance

Oct. 13:ATurkish newspaper printsan explosiveclaim, saying Khashoggi'storture and killing was recorded on his Apple Watch. The initial reports containfew details, but the paper reports that Turkish authoritieshad obtained the audio from the journalist's iPhone, which he hadgiven to his fiancebefore entering the consulate,and his iCloud account.

Oct. 14: The Saudis cautionother nations against making threats or imposing sanctions, saying if it is targeted, it willrespond with "greater action."

The statement comesafter Trump tells60 Minutescorrespondent Lesley Stahl there would be "severe"consequences if Saudi Arabia is found to be involved in the killing of the U.S.-based journalist. Butthe president notes there arestill not enough details about the case."As of this moment, they deny it and they deny it vehemently. Could it be them? Yes."

As the rhetoricescalates, top businesses startannouncing their withdrawal from the Davos in the Desert summit, a Saudi-run conference meant to promote foreign investment in the kingdom.

Oct. 15:The planned search of the consulate goes ahead. The state-run Anadolu news agency saysthe Turkish investigative team includes a prosecutor, deputy prosecutor, anti-terror police and forensic experts. Trump, after speaking to Saudi King Salman, tellsreporters, "I don't want to get into his mind, but it sounded to me like maybe these could have been rogue killers, who knows? We'll try getting to the bottom of it very soon. His was a flat denial."

Oct. 16: In an interview with The Associated Press,Trump criticizesthe widespread outrage directed at Saudi Arabia.

"I think we have to find out what happened first," he said. "Here we go again with, you know, you're guilty until proven innocent. I don't like that. We just went through that with Justice Kavanaugh and he was innocent all the way as far as I'm concerned."

Trump also weighsin on Twitter, reiterating the Saudi denials.

Oct. 17: A Turkish team searchesthe home of the Saudi consul, who had left the country not long after Khashoggi's disappearance. The search coincideswith a grisly news report that contained details from apurported recording of Khashoggi's torture and slaughter.

The Washington Post chooses to release what may be Khashoggi's final column, an opinion piece calling for more free expression in Arab states.

Oct. 18: There is a major shift in the U.S. president's message.Trump tellsreporters it"certainly looks" as though the journalistis dead, and again threatens"very severe" consequences if it's found the Saudis killed him.

Watch Trump tell reporters it 'certainly looks' like the dissident reporter is dead.

Trump says it 'certainly looks' like Khashoggi is dead

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The Saudi journalist has been missing since Oct. 2

Oct. 19 (and into early Oct. 20):Saudi television says a preliminary investigation has concludedKhashoggi is dead. The Saudi public prosecutorsaysKhashoggidied in a "fistfight" inside theconsulate.The country's intelligence chief is sacked and 18 people detained, state TV says. Asked by a reporter whether he thinks Saudi Arabia's explanation for Khashoggi's death was credible, Trump says, "I do. I do." But he said before he decided what to do next, he wanted to talk toSaudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Oct. 20: Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freelandcondemns the killing of Khashoggiand saysthe Saudis' "explanations" of the killing"lack consistency and credibility."

Oct. 21: Saudi Arabian Foreign MinisterAdel al-Jubeir said Saudi officials do not know the details of howKhashoggiwas killed in their consulate."Unfortunately, a huge and grave mistake ... those responsible will be heldaccountable,"he told Fox News.

Oct. 22: The Saudi government says King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmancalled Khashoggi's son,Salah, to express their condolences. Meanwhile,CNNairs surveillance footage showing what a Turkish official described as a Khashoggi"body double," dressed in hisshirt, suit jacket and pants, leaving the consulate.

Watch footage of a man dressed as Khashoggi leavingthe Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

Khashoggi 'body double'

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Surveillance video shows a man appearing to wear Jamal Khashoggi's clothes leaving the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul after the journalist was killed there on Oct. 2.

Oct.. 24:Saudi Arabia's crown prince saysthe Khashoggi case is "painful" and "not justifiable," and vowsjustice would prevail.

Oct. 25: Saudi prosecutors, citing evidence provided by Turkey, admit Khashoggi'sdeath was "premeditated," and not an accident, as Saudi officials had contended.

Oct. 27:U.S. Defence Secretary JimMattissaysKhashoggi'skilling "undermines regional stability,"at a speech in the Middle East. The Saudiforeign ministeraccuses the international media of "hysteria" and said journalists wererushing to judgment in the Khashoggi case.

Oct. 29: Cengiz saysTrump "should not pave the way for a cover up of my fianc's murder" and urgeshim to set aside U.S. trade interests and demandRiyadh disclose more details surrounding the killing.

Oct. 31: A top Turkish prosecutorreveals Khashoggi was strangled as soon as heentered the Saudi consulate as part of a premeditated killingand that his body was dismembered.

Nov. 10:Turkey's president acknowledges officials from Saudi Arabia, the United States, Germany, France and Britain have all listened to audio recordings of Khashoggi'skilling. It is the first public acknowledgement that the tapes exist.

Nov. 12:A spokesperson for the Canadian Security Intelligence Serviceconfirms Canada's spy chief flew to Turkey to hear the recordings of Khashoggi'skilling and subsequentlybriefedthe prime minister and other Canadian officials on what he heard.

Nov. 15: Saudi Arabia's top prosecutor tells reporters he is recommendingthe death penalty for five of the 11 people charged with ordering and carrying out Khashoggi's slaying. Hours later, the U.S. Treasury Department announces new economic sanctions targeting 17 Saudiofficials it believes were involved in the journalist's death.

Nov. 16: The Washington Post reports the CIA believesPrince Mohammed ordered a hit onKhashoggi, citing a source familiar with the matter. The source says the CIA had briefed other parts of the U.S. government on its assessment.

Nov. 17: In a statement released by the U.S. State Department, the Trump administration denies it hasreached a final conclusion in whowas behind Khashoggi's killing.Trump tells reporters that when it came to the crown prince, "as of this moment we were told that he did not play a role."

Later in the day, Trump calls media reports from the previous day "very premature" and says he will soon receive a "very full report" on who was responsible for the Saudi writer's death.

Nov. 19:Germany issuesentry bans for 18 Saudi citizens suspected to be involved in Khashoggi's death, effectively banning them from the European Union's passport-free Schengen zone. France's foreign minister also says his country is mulling sanctions for those linked to the killing.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's King Salmanexpressessupport for his son, the crown prince, during his first major speech since the the journalist's murder, makingno mention of allegations Prince Mohammed ordered the killing.

Saudi media also reportthe crown princewill attend the G20 summit in Buenos Aires later this month a gathering that world leaders, including Trump and Trudeau, are slated to attend.

Nov. 20: Trump releases a statement that says the U.S. will stand by Saudi Arabia, its "steadfast ally," despite its role in Khashoggi'sdeath. The Trump administration will continue arms deals with the Saudis and won't levy any new punishments on the kingdom or Prince Mohammed, the statement reads, drawing the ire of Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle.

Nov. 22:The Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reports that CIA Director Gina Haspel signalled to Turkish officials in Octoberthat U.S. intelligence officials had a recording of a call in which Prince Mohammed discusses wanting to "silence" Khashoggi. When asked if the reports are true, Trump says,"I don't want to talkabout it. You'll have to ask them [the CIA]."

Nov. 26: Turkish policeusing sniffer dogs and a dronescoura luxury villa and nearby propertyin northwesternTurkey for Khashoggi's remains. Government officials and the state-run news agency Anadolusay investigators determined the mansion's ownerhad been in contact with one of the suspects in the writer's slaying.

Nov. 29: With Trudeau and Prince Mohammed both in Argentina for a weekend G20summit, Canada imposes its own set of sanctions against 17 Saudi nationals, effectively freezingtheir assetsin Canada andbanning them from entering the country.