The Ghanaian-American editor of murdered Saudia Arabian journalist Jama Khashoggi, who reports for the Washington Post is leading a campaign to seek justice for him.

Karen Attiah says explanation from Saudi Arabia that the 59-year-old died in a chokehold lacks credibility.

According to her, the idea that someone as affable as Mr Khashoggi died in a fight with 15 men is incomprehensible. 

“That was not a fight...if we want to give any credence to this, it is a set-up and an ambush,” she said. 

She spoke to France 24 as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the world the murder was planned and premeditated.

Addressing MPs from his ruling party, Mr Erdogan demanded that Saudi Arabia produces the body of the journalist.

Karen Attiah, the editor of slained Mr Khashoggi

The columnist and critic of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince was killed on October 2, in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul during an appointment to secure documents to marry his girlfriend.

There’s suspicion a 15-member hit squad was sent from the Arab country to carry out the murder.

Speaking about the man who has become a global household name after his death, Attiah said, “he was kind, brilliant and an active mind constantly wanting to write

“For the extreme love for his country, which came across in our conversations; he did not want to be a dissent, he only wanted to write, and I appreciate that passion as his editor,” she said.

There needs to be pressure on the Saudis to let Salah (a dual U.S. citizen) leave and be reunited with his family during this tough time.

He was placed on a travel ban due to his father's writing. #Khashoggi. https://t.co/X5QdNbOjkz

— Karen Attiah (@KarenAttiah) October 23, 2018

According to her, Mr Khashoggi was most upset with the travel ban on his children that was imposed shortly after he started writing for the Washington Post. 

“He told me the Saudi authorities were upset that he was writing for the Washington Post and there are attempts to try to lure him back to the Kingdom to convince him that he will be better off there, which he rejected and decided to stay here,” she said. 

Talking about the steps she expects the U.S to take, Ms Attiah said she wants the Trump government to reject the “so-called explanations” given by the Saudis. 

She also wants America to push the Saudis to come clean and to threaten serious consequences for murdering the journalist in a consulate. 

Jamal Khashoggi, 1958-2018.
Below, Thanksgiving 2017.
When his turn came to say what he was thankful for, he said: “Because I have become free, and I can write freely.” pic.twitter.com/J81WQv9RYR

— Ben Hubbard (@NYTBen) October 20, 2018

“It could be sanctions, an imposition of arms sales cancellation...whatever it is, there should be a serious consequence if found that this goes all the way to the top to the Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman,” Ms Attiah said. 

According to her, she is picking reports that a lot of journalist in the Middle East country are scared for their lives considering how Mr Khashoggi was killed and its business as usual. 

The journalists, she said, are shellshocked with the reign of Bin Salman under whose governance the Kingdom has attacked countries like Yemen, kidnapped the Lebanese Prime Minister as well as cancelled diplomatic ties with Canada. 

Ms Attiah said it was a shame that all that happened and the world kept silent until Mr Khashoggi’s death was unimaginable but her spirit is strengthen that they never succeeded in silencing his words.

“They haven’t been able to kill his words, now those are being read in multiple languages around the world. All they have managed to do is make his a here of some sort,” he said.  

They may have silenced my friend but they cannot kill his words.

You can read all of @JKhashoggi ”˜s work (in English and Arabic) for the @washingtonpost here: https://t.co/G8RxcKjPYs #khashoggi #JusticeForJamal

— Karen Attiah (@KarenAttiah) October 16, 2018