THE dismembered body of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has been found near where he is believed to have been tortured and killed, it's been claimed today.

Reports say the butchered remains of the writer - feared murdered by assassins inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul - had been "cut up" and his face "disfigured".

15 Slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi reportedly spoke with the Saudi Crown Prince just MINUTES before he was killed by a hit squad Credit: AP:Associated Press

News of the grisly "find" came as the journalist's devastated son Salah came face-to-face with Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman. Members of the journalist's family were invited to meet the royal family in Riyadh so they could "pass on their condolences." Images released by the state-run Saudi Press Agency show King Salman and the Crown Prince shaking the hands of the journalist’s relatives. Salah was pictured looking steely-eyed as he came face-to-face with the man some have alleged was behind his father's killing. 15 Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman (right) comes eye-to-eye with Khashoggi's devastated son Salah 15 The Crown Prince smiling at the Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh today Credit: AP:Associated Press 15 Saudi Arabia's King Salman (right) receives members of the Khashoggi family this afternoon

The Saudi government insists that the King and Crown Prince had no prior knowledge of the plan to kill Khashoggi.

One source claimed the body parts were discovered in the garden of the Saudi consul general's home, reports Sky News.

Dogu Perincek, leader of Turkey's Rodina party, earlier alleged the body parts were discovered in a well inside the garden.

However, neither reports have been officially confirmed by the authorities in the Turkish city.

The news comes after Turkey's president said the body had not been found and called on the Saudis to reveal its whereabouts.

Earlier it was revealed one of the Saudi leader's top aides reportedly oversaw the murder via Skype yelling “Bring me the head of the dog”.

Members of the Arab state's 'Tiger Squad' assassination team allegedly carried the digits back to their ruler as proof their mission had been a complete success.

"MBS (Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman) always said he will cut off the fingers of every writer who criticises him," a source told Middle East Eye.

15 Istanbul Police Department's cadaver dog Melo inspects garden of the Consul General of Saudi Arabia Credit: Getty - Contributor

15 Reports today claim the journalist's body was found near the Saudi consulate Credit: Getty - Contributor

Two men filmed burning documents at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul a day after journalist Jamal Khashoggi's 'disappearance'

The journalist's fingers, removed when he was tortured inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, are said to have been put in a bag and flown to Riyadh on a private jet.

The Saudi leader also spoke to the dissident writer himself just MINUTES before he was killed by the hit squad, according to a Turkish news outlet.

He told the outspoken writer to return to Saudi Arabia on the phone but Khashoggi refused over fears he'd be arrested on arrival, Yeni Safak reported.

The 59-year-old Washington Post journalist was then allegedly killed by the 15-man Saudi team after entering the country's consulate on October 2.

It's now claimed one of the 33-year-old Crown Prince's top aide's oversaw the murder by giving orders to the killers over Skype.

According to one high-ranking Arab source, Saud al-Qahtani was beamed into a room of the consulate where he hurled insults at Khashoggi over the phone.

Arab and Turkish sources claim Khashoggi answered back and Qahtani told his men to dispose of Khashoggi, telling them: “Bring me the head of the dog”.

15 Jamal Khashoggi and his fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, at an apartment building in Istanbul, Turkey, just hours before his death Credit: AP:Associated Press

15 CCTV claims to show Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and his fiancee leaving their home on the day he disappeared in Istanbul Credit: Reuters

It is not clear if Qahtani watched the entire proceedings, which the high-ranking Arab source described as a “bungled and botched operation”.

The sources said the audio of the Skype call is now in the possession of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

He today called for those responsible for the planned "savage" and "ferocious" killing to be tried in Turkey - amid fears the attack will be covered up in Saudi Arabia.

Mr Erdogan said: "I do not doubt the sincerity of King Salman. That being said, independent investigation needs to be carried out. This is a political killing.

"Those responsible should be taken to court in Turkey under international law.

Jamal Khashoggi: Turkish President Erdoğan says there is strong evidence the 'savage' murder Saudi journalist in Istanbul was premeditated

"Jamal Khashoggi was the victim of a very cruel murder. Why is it the corpse of a murdered person can still be missing?"

Mr Erdogan said the team of 15 Saudi agents began arriving in Turkey the day before the murder and cameras at the consulate were removed.

He added they entered the consulate the day of the killing, and three went on an exploration trip to Belgrad forest, a 60m drive south of Istanbul.

“We have strong evidence in our hands that shows the murder wasn’t accidental but was instead the outcome of a planned operation,” Erdogan told lawmakers in Ankara.

“Since this is a political murder, if there are other collaborators in this crime, they should also be included in the investigation.”

15 President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said those responsible for the killing should be tried in Turkey Credit: AP:Associated Press

Erdogan said all those responsible, including those “at the very top,” should be brought to justice.

Turkey’s foreign minister has revealed his country would cooperate with international bodies if they were to launch an independent probe into the killing.

In an interview with state-run Anadolu Agency, Mevlut Cavusoglu admitted Turkey has not shared evidence concerning his death with any country.

However, he added that there may have been “an exchange of views between intelligence organisations.”

Earlier it was reported that a video shared by a Turkish TV channel appeared to show three men burning documents in the consulate's backyard a day after Khashoggi was killed.

A Haber news channel said the surveillance camera video allegedly showing "evidence" being burned inside a drum was recorded on October 3.

15 CCTV images have emerged showing a Saudi intelligence officer dressed in a fake beard and Jamal Khashoggi's clothes and glasses (left) on the day the journalist disappeared Credit: CNN

Saudi agent caught on CCTV leaving Saudi embassy wearing Jamal Khashoggi's clothes and FAKE beard

Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday that Khashoggi died as a result of a "fistfight" at the government building.

That claim was met with international scepticism and allegations of a cover-up to absolve the crown prince of direct responsibility, which he has denied.

Turkish media reports and officials maintain that a 15 'hit squad' flew into Istanbul knowing Khashoggi would enter the consulate to get a document he needed to get married.

Once he was inside, the Saudis killed and dismembered the writer, according to Turkish media reports.

15 Turkish forensics enter an underground car park cordoned off by Turkish police in Istanbul, after they found an abandoned car belonging to the Saudi consulate Credit: AFP or licensors

15 Turkish crime-scene investigators enter an underground car park Credit: Getty - Contributor

Just hours later a man strolled out of the diplomatic post apparently wearing the columnist's clothes as part of a macabre deception to sow confusion over the writer's fate.

Surveillance video leaked to CNN showed the imposter wearing Khashoggi's shirt, suit jacket and trousers, although he wore a different pair of shoes.

It cited a Turkish official as describing the man as a "body double" and a member of the Saudi team sent to Istanbul to target the writer.

The man walks out of the consulate via its back exit with an accomplice, then takes a taxi to Istanbul's famed Blue Mosque, where he goes to a public bathroom, changes back out of the clothes and leaves.

15 Jamal Khashoggi pictured arriving at the Saudi Consul in Istanbul just before he disappeared

15 Jamal Khashoggi, right, arriving at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018

15 Jamal Khashoggi was reportedly killed by people he met at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul Credit: EPA

He later eats dinner with his accomplice and goes back to a hotel, where footage shows him smiling and laughing.

In the days after Khashoggi vanished, Saudi officials initially said he had left the consulate by its back door.

Last night, Turkish crime-scene investigators swarmed a garage in Istanbul where a Saudi consular vehicle had been parked as officials vowed to "unveil the truth".

All this came on the eve of Prince Mohammed's high-profile investment summit in Riyadh, which has seen a raft of the world's top business leaders decline to attend over the slaying.

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Donald Trump last night described Khashoggi's death as a “plot gone awry” and said he didn’t think the writer was deliberately lured into the consulate to be killed.

The US President, who spoke with the Saudi Crown Prince on Sunday, told USA Today: “He says he is not involved nor is the king."

The newspaper said Trump declined to say whether he believed the crown prince’s denials. If their involvement was proven, Trump said: “I would be very upset about it. We’ll have to see.”

Earlier he said he was "not satisfied with what I've heard. We will know very soon."

CCTV footage purports to show Khashoggi and his fiancee going to Saudi consulate

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