Collaboration of those trying to acquit themselves and those fishing in troubled waters

Yasin AktayBY: Yasin Aktay

Turkey is of course the number one observer of the case as this violation occurred within its own territories. Just because Khashoggi is not a Turkish citizen, it does not mean that Turkey can ignore his evaporation in a consulate within its borders.

After all, Khashoggi was alive and well until when he entered the consulate. He has not emerged from his country’s property safe and sound yet.

Now, when we present this fact as the only clear and certain evidence shared with the public, some imply that we do not have much information and that we are underestimating this issue.

Have a heart!

Do you think this evidence is not enough?

Put other evidence aside, this alone is enough to understand the gravity of the matter and to lift the veil of mystery. Without needing any other scenario, the information that Khashoggi entered the consulate and still has not come out in normal ways is enough to shed light on the issue.

Furthermore, this also leaves no room for doubt about who should be held responsible for the disappearance of Khashoggi. What importance does what Saudi Arabian media is babbling in a defensive psychologically have? They are still deliriously repeating the phrase “he went entered and exited, the rest is Turkey’s responsibility” in unison with their troll army. Of course, they cannot show any evidence about how he came out.

Through the Khashoggi case, we are once again experiencing a reality of human nature in a most bitter manner: Nobody wants to hear the truth. Everybody hears what they want to hear. They exhibit a deafness to what they do not want to hear and make up what they do and do not want to heed.

Do trolls even have ears? They exist not to listen, but to fabricate and spread. This is their duty.

It is not surprising how quickly people figured out everything about the Khashoggi case. Here, you need to choose one side, or you could be targeted by either side. Your cautious and deliberate statements can be assigned a different meaning and you may find yourself in the crossfire.

When I stated that “I have no certain information that Khashoggi was killed,” it was presented by the al-Arabia channel and official Saudi media as if I was reporting that “Khashoggi is not dead.” Whereas I was only noting that I personally have no information or evidence indicating that he was murdered. This does not mean that the judicial authorities and security forces do not have such evidence. To tell the truth, I cannot confirm or deny the information that has been reported in the media, as I do not have a clue about what evidence judicial authorities and security forces have. Until an official statement is made, there is nothing more natural than for my position to remain the same.

I stated, “At this stage, I am not accusing anyone, and I am not also accusing the Saudi state.” This was interpreted as if I said, “Saudis in no way can be accused, they are innocent”. Whereas I stated in the second part of this sentence that “before the investigation ends, before all the evidence is gathered, we cannot accuse Saudi Arabia or anyone else.”

As some in the Saudi media are using this to acquit themselves, others on our side are radically taking these cautious words as statements made to exculpate Saudi Arabia. Some are after exoneration and others are fishing in troubled waters.

For God’s sake, in this context how does stating that “we cannot accuse anyone as there is still an ongoing investigation” equate to acquitting Saudi Arabia or anyone else? What kind of evidence do they have that they have already made their minds and given their judgments?

This is exactly a “don’t let him talk, just continue kicking” type of understanding, a lynching mind, and the fact that this understanding is so widespread on social media is not a good sign for the country.

In the end, we say that an important reality which needs to be explained has not been clarified yet and this is enough: “Khashoggi entered the consulate but has not come out yet. Where did he go?” This reality, at the moment, makes all of the staff of the consulate and the 15 people who arrived in Turkey from Saudi Arabia that night prime suspects, but it does not declare them guilty yet.

If we assume that they were not acting alone, we can say that the scale of the investigation will expand to the degree law allows.

Saudi media is hastily trying to exculpate themselves by making references to my statements, yet they are also continuing the defamatory campaign against me (and Turan Kışlakçı). Let them write any scenario they wish based on photographs circulating on social media. Nothing they do will be able to stop us from fulfilling the task Khashoggi left to us the moment he entered the consulate.

*Yasin Aktay is  President Erdogan’s adviser, a member of the Turkish parliament, and a leading figure of the ruling Justice and Development (AK Party) in Turkey. (Published in Yeni Şafak Turkısh newspaper on 13 Oct., 2018)