CCTV footage has been released which appears to show one of the 15 Saudi Arabian so-called “hit squad” members posing as a body double for murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The images, which were published by CNN on Monday, show the decoy leaving the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by the back door, wearing Mr Khashoggi's clothes, a fake beard and glasses in the hours after he was killed.

The man has been identified as Mustafa al-Madani - an official who was reportedly brought from Riyadh to Turkey to act as Khashoggi’s impersonator.

Four hours earlier Mr Madani, 57, who is of similar height, age and build to Khashoggi, entered the building by the front door, without a beard, wearing a blue and white checked shirt and dark blue trousers.

"Khashoggi's clothes were probably still warm when Madani put them on," a senior Turkish official told CNN.

It is believed the two did not look sufficiently alike so the Saudis decided instead to wipe clean the consulate's CCTV footage.

Saudi Arabia initially claimed that Mr Khashoggi had left the consulate through the back door, although footage of the double was never released to back up their claim.