CIA Director Gina Haspel headed to Turkey amid looming questions about death of Jamal Khashoggi

Show Caption Hide Caption Senate confirms Gina Haspel to lead CIA The Senate confirmed Gina Haspel on Thursday as the first female director of the CIA following a difficult nomination process that reopened a debate about brutal interrogation techniques in one of the darkest chapters in the spy agency's history. (May 17)

WASHINGTON – CIA Director Gina Haspel is headed to Turkey amid ongoing questions about Saudi Arabia's role in the death of Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and U.S. resident, according to reports.

A CIA spokesperson declined comment. But the Washington Post and other outlets reported Haspel's planned trip, which comes as Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed new details about the investigation into Khashoggi's killing.

Erdogan said Turkey had amassed evidence that clearly showed that Khashoggi was killed in a premeditated and "savage" murder that involved at least three separate teams of Saudi intelligence agents, including a military general.

The Saudis have said Khashoggi was killed accidentally after engaging in a fist fight and "brawl" that escalated inside the consulate.

On Monday, President Donald Trump said top U.S. intelligence officials were in Turkey and Saudi Arabia to help probe the case, though he did not say Haspel herself was headed to the region.

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