Turkey to search Saudi consulate in Istanbul for missing journalist on Monday

A joint Turkish and Saudi team will search the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul on Monday afternoon as part of an investigation into the disappearance of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a Turkish diplomatic source said.

Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and critic of Riyadh's policies, disappeared on Oct. 2 after entering his country's diplomatic mission in Istanbul. Turkey believes he was murdered and his body removed, while Saudi Arabia has denied the allegations.

"It is expected that examinations will be carried out this afternoon," the source said.

Turkey accepted a Saudi proposal last week to form a joint working group to investigate Khashoggi's disappearance, which has sparked threats of economic sanctions from Western allies.

Prince Khaled al-Faisal, a senior member of Saudi Arabia's ruling family and adviser to King Salman, has met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss Khashoggi's disappearance, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.

Erdoğan and King Salman spoke by telephone on Sunday evening and stressed the importance of the two countries creating the joint working group as part of the investigation.