Saudi Arabia said on Thursday that the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul was "premeditated", based on information supplied by Turkey, state media reported.

"Information from the Turkish authorities indicates that the act of the suspects in the Khashoggi case was premeditated," the public prosecutor said in a statement carried by the state-run Saudi Press Agency. "The public prosecution continues its investigation with suspects... to complete the course of justice," the statement said. Saudi Arabia initially claimed Khashoggi left freely after visiting the consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to complete paperwork for his marriage to his Turkish fiancee.