Turkish police search abandoned Saudi car over journalist's death

ISTANBUL - Turkish police are searching an abandoned diplomatic car belonging to the Saudi Arabia consulate that was found on Monday in a parking lot in Istanbul in efforts to make clear about the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, local media reported.

Police and crime scene investigators are conducting the search at the indoor parking lot in Istanbul's Sultangazi district, which is expected to last hours, according to a live broadcast by the NTV broadcaster.

Security officials were seen cordoning off the parking space and blocking the entrance.

NTV claimed that the car, which was declared missing by police last week, had been left at the garage for 14 days.

Last week a Turkish team searched all other vehicles belonging to the Saudi consulate to find clues about the whereabouts of Khashoggi's body.

On Monday morning, Turkish prosecutors questioned five more employees of the Saudi consulate as witnesses. According to press reports, a total of 23 consulate employees spoke to the prosecutors last week.

The Saudi journalist has not been seen since he entered the Saudi consulate on Oct. 2 to obtain documents related to his upcoming remarriage.

Riyadh has confirmed Khashoggi's death inside its consulate, saying he was killed first as the result of a "fistfight," but then due to a "chokehold."