Graphic 7 minute audio of Jamal Khashoggi's murder again linked to journalist's Apple Watc...

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in Apple Watch
As reports elaborate on details of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi's killing in Turkey, the Apple Watch keeps getting brought up, despite the odds being against it having been used as the recorder. Manipulation of the contentious reports has spread, even involving a previous report by AppleInsider being altered and hosted elsewhere intended to influence social media, and Google search results.




New reports on Wednesday morning keep mentioning the Apple Watch as the source of data for Khashoggi's reported questioning by a "hit squad" when he visited the embassy to get paperwork. A copy of the audio file was reportedly synced with Khashoggi's iPhone, which was in the possession of fiancee Hatice Cengiz. Cengiz was waiting outside the consulate during the exchange, assumedly within Bluetooth range of the Apple Watch in question.

The reports still do not specify what app Khashoggi used, how the audio was transferred to his iPhone, or how it made its way to iCloud. Khashoggi has been spotted in previous pictures with the tell-tale red dot signifying a LTE Series 3 Apple Watch on his wrist.

Following the encounter, continuing reports claim that the Saudis responsible gained access to the Apple Watch and deleted certain files on the device. This suggests the so-called "hit squad" confiscated the journalist's iPhone from Cengiz, something that has gone unconfirmed.

While Saudis were able to wipe certain files from Khashoggi's device or devices, they were less successful in deleting data from iCloud, the report says.

Even if the Apple Watch recorded the slaughter, as reported on Friday, it isn't clear from a technological standpoint how this data would be exfiltrated from the embassy, even if Cengiz was in Bluetooth range.

Apple Watch connectivity to the outside world

It shouldn't surprise anybody embassies are highly secure facilities, that governments take great efforts to protect, and host governments try valiantly to listen in on. Modern connectivity like Bluetooth, LTE, and Wi-Fi have made this dance a bit more complex in the last two decades.

Obviously, RF emissions control is a big concern for embassy security staff, and a big avenue of exploitation by agencies wanting to listen in. To this end, embassies are heavily shielded against radio frequency emissions, both coming in or exiting the facility.

The Apple Watch Series 3 or Series 4 LTE radios do not function in Turkey, at all. So, that eliminates the longest-range way that data could have been handed off to iCloud. Bluetooth is very low energy, and has nearly no penetrative power to overcome intentional RF shielding.

And, if Khashoggi was allowed to connect to the consulate Wi-Fi, that would be one of the largest breaches of embassy RF and data security ever recorded. This seems especially improbable.

As a result, The likelihood of the data getting passed off to the iPhone is also profoundly small.

Given the "leaks" of the audio that have happened over the last 24 hours and were previously teased, odds are the reports that the audio came from the Apple Watch is either a disinformation campaign of some sort, or the government of Turkey is using the report to cover up a surveillance effort inside the embassy that has gone heretofore undiscovered.

AppleInsider's reporting, and Google manipulation

At some point on Monday, a domain resembling AppleInsider's was purchased, and registered in Panama. The "Appleinsider.org" domain mostly redirects to our own, at AppleInsider.com. However, one story where we talked about the rumors surrounding the murder and the Apple Watch does not.

On Tuesday, a rework of editor Mikey Campbell's story regarding the matter emerged on the bogus domain, which alleged that Apple CEO Tim Cook had spoken to us, and for some reason used broken English to comment on the matter.

The faked story as it appeared on the bogus AppleInsider domain
The faked story as it appeared on the bogus AppleInsider domain


For the astute, like most AppleInsider readers, the language used by the perpetrators or the domain difference would have been a dead giveaway. For the less aware, as evidenced by our social media feeds, the faked quotes by Apple's CEO could be taken as authentic.

Cook has not spoken about the Apple Watch as it relates to the killing at all. Nor, has he spoken to AppleInsider about it.

There is no reason that the assailants would want to impugn AppleInsider. The more likely explanation is that parties unknown wanted to manipulate Google search results, and take partial advantage of our own Google rankings to do so.

AppleInsider has taken counter-measures since we were made aware of the incident.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 49
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,192member
    If Khashoggi had upgraded to an iPhone XS and Watch 5, the longer range of Bluetooth 5 might have allowed communication through the embassy walls. Unobstructed, the range is up to 800 feet.
    edited October 2018
  • Reply 2 of 49
    From the New York Times: "They severed his fingers during an interrogation and later beheaded and dismembered him, according to details from audio recordings published in the Turkish news media on Wednesday. It was all over within a few minutes, the recordings suggested."

    This whole episode is simply beyond disgusting. Beyond reason.

    A bunch of savages.
    edited October 2018 StrangeDayslarrya
  • Reply 3 of 49
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,858administrator
    cpsro said:
    If Khashoggi had upgraded to an iPhone XS and Watch 5, the longer range of Bluetooth 5 might have allowed communication through the embassy walls. Unobstructed, the range is up to 800 feet.
    Max range has little to do with penetrative power. BT5 is still low energy. Even modest RF shielding, let alone the industrial-grade in embassies, would have stopped it.

    It's all possible. It's just not even remotely probable.
    mwhiteStrangeDays
  • Reply 4 of 49
    JWSCJWSC Posts: 1,203member

    Wow.  Just wow!  Sophisticated to a degree yet amateurish as evidenced by the use of broken English in the bogus Tim quote.

    It’s a big world out there AI.  And not as comfortable as it used to be, where we stuck to ranting about a biased press with an agenda, Wall Street manipulators, shenanigans at Google and Microsoft, and Apple not making the perfect upgradable Mac where every single component could be swapped out.

  • Reply 5 of 49
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,192member
    cpsro said:
    If Khashoggi had upgraded to an iPhone XS and Watch 5, the longer range of Bluetooth 5 might have allowed communication through the embassy walls. Unobstructed, the range is up to 800 feet.
    Max range has little to do with penetrative power. BT5 is still low energy. Even modest RF shielding, let alone the industrial-grade in embassies, would have stopped it.

    It's all possible. It's just not even remotely probable.
    Do we know the consulate has RF shielding anywhere/everywhere within, including the consul's office? The surrounding wall appears thick, but the property and building are not large and the building is taller than the wall, as judged from satellite and street views. When Khashoggi's body was removed from the consulate, there might have been an opportunity to sync with his iPhone.
  • Reply 6 of 49
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,844member
    From the New York Times: "They severed his fingers during an interrogation and later beheaded and dismembered him, according to details from audio recordings published in the Turkish news media on Wednesday. It was all over within a few minutes, the recordings suggested."

    This whole episode is simply beyond disgusting. Beyond reason.

    A bunch of savages.
    It’s much worse than that.

    https://www.rawstory.com/2018/10/jamal-khashoggi-tortured-bone-saw-7-minutes-saudi-killer-drowned-screams-music/
  • Reply 7 of 49
    From the New York Times: "They severed his fingers during an interrogation and later beheaded and dismembered him, according to details from audio recordings published in the Turkish news media on Wednesday. It was all over within a few minutes, the recordings suggested."

    This whole episode is simply beyond disgusting. Beyond reason.

    A bunch of savages.
    I don’t know how much of this reporting can be believed without corroborating evidence. Second hand information from the Turkish government should be critically assessed.
  • Reply 8 of 49
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,858administrator
    cpsro said:
    cpsro said:
    If Khashoggi had upgraded to an iPhone XS and Watch 5, the longer range of Bluetooth 5 might have allowed communication through the embassy walls. Unobstructed, the range is up to 800 feet.
    Max range has little to do with penetrative power. BT5 is still low energy. Even modest RF shielding, let alone the industrial-grade in embassies, would have stopped it.

    It's all possible. It's just not even remotely probable.
    Do we know the consulate has RF shielding anywhere/everywhere within, including the consul's office? The surrounding wall appears thick, but the property and building are not large and the building is taller than the wall, as judged from satellite and street views. When Khashoggi's body was removed from the consulate, there might have been an opportunity to sync with his iPhone.
    RF shielding everywhere is a very safe assumption to make, as it is easy and relatively cheap. I also find it hard to consider that if you're going to dismember a body, that you're somehow going to miss the guy's Apple Watch.

    Like I said, it's possible. Just not probable.
    edited October 2018 beowulfschmidtgatorguy
  • Reply 9 of 49
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    From the New York Times: "They severed his fingers during an interrogation and later beheaded and dismembered him, according to details from audio recordings published in the Turkish news media on Wednesday. It was all over within a few minutes, the recordings suggested."

    This whole episode is simply beyond disgusting. Beyond reason.

    A bunch of savages.
    I don’t know how much of this reporting can be believed without corroborating evidence. Second hand information from the Turkish government should be critically assessed.
    I completely agree. I have a hard time believing anything that comes out of Erdogan's government. 
    SpamSandwichJWSCDAalsethentropys
  • Reply 10 of 49
    FolioFolio Posts: 698member
    "Manipulation of the contentious reports has spread, even involving a previous report by AppleInsider being altered and hosted elsewhere intended to influence social media, and Google search results." So it's not only grisly, but bizarre. So how much did pirated adulterated AI story influence social media and search results? Any examples? Any other sites like MacRumors suffer same fate? I wonder how different it would be if this late writer was a US citizen and full-time correspondent, and not just a US resident and a stringer for Washington Post. With all the cutbacks in news gathering, we rely more on stringers nowadays. Despite ambivalence in some high circles, I hope this investigation gathers more steam. And hope AI shares details of this to intelligence authorities if not already done.
  • Reply 11 of 49
    From the New York Times: "They severed his fingers during an interrogation and later beheaded and dismembered him, according to details from audio recordings published in the Turkish news media on Wednesday. It was all over within a few minutes, the recordings suggested."

    This whole episode is simply beyond disgusting. Beyond reason.

    A bunch of savages.
    And yet Drumpf is standing by his Saudi buddies. After all, according to him they buy millions & millions of dollars of his properties. 
    StrangeDayslarryaMacPro
  • Reply 12 of 49
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,858administrator
    Folio said:
    "Manipulation of the contentious reports has spread, even involving a previous report by AppleInsider being altered and hosted elsewhere intended to influence social media, and Google search results." So it's not only grisly, but bizarre. So how much did pirated adulterated AI story influence social media and search results? Any examples? Any other sites like MacRumors suffer same fate? I wonder how different it would be if this late writer was a US citizen and full-time correspondent, and not just a US resident and a stringer for Washington Post. With all the cutbacks in news gathering, we rely more on stringers nowadays. Despite ambivalence in some high circles, I hope this investigation gathers more steam. And hope AI shares details of this to intelligence authorities if not already done.
    I'm not even sure what you're referring to. Mikey Campbell isn't in the employ of the Post, and is a US citizen. He's been full-time at AI for about eight years.

    Edit: Ah, I get it now. Khashoggi.
    edited October 2018
  • Reply 13 of 49
    First, he is not a reporter. At best, he is someone who wrote occasionally for the Wash Post. Second, I'm just not believing the Watch story. Mine is lucky to have connectivity to my phone within 50 feet. Lastly, just how much stock do you put into the Turkish government? I agree that the guy seems to have disappeared, but when? How? Just as likely that the Turks, who have provided all the 'evidence' did something with him as the Saudis.
  • Reply 14 of 49
    From the New York Times: "They severed his fingers during an interrogation and later beheaded and dismembered him, according to details from audio recordings published in the Turkish news media on Wednesday. It was all over within a few minutes, the recordings suggested."

    This whole episode is simply beyond disgusting. Beyond reason.

    A bunch of savages.
    And yet Drumpf is standing by his Saudi buddies. After all, according to him they buy millions & millions of dollars of his properties. 
    The writer was (is?) a Saudi Arabian, not an American. The US doesn’t have dominion over every country on Earth and their citizens. Get over it.
  • Reply 15 of 49
    hentaiboyhentaiboy Posts: 1,252member
    The Consulate (not Embassy) was bugged. Of course the Turks can’t admit to that hence the Apple Watch boswollocks. 
    AI_liasSpamSandwich
  • Reply 16 of 49
    AI_liasAI_lias Posts: 434member
    This is obviously a way for the Turkish government to not disclose their real surveillance sources, and use the Apple Watch story.
  • Reply 17 of 49
    SomeBodySomeWhereSomeBodySomeWhere Posts: 4unconfirmed, member
    So where is all the moral outrage at our murder of citizens of other countries over the last 10 years?
    We drone kill probably a lot more than anyone knows.
    There is no due process there is no accountability...
    I guess because we don't use bone saws it makes it ok...

    In my mind it makes us more corwardly.

    Is it any wonder that other countries would begin to act like we do?

    We murder them because we don't like the things they say. Just like this case apparently...

    Spare me the faux outrage.
  • Reply 18 of 49
    hentaiboy said:
    The Consulate (not Embassy) was bugged. Of course the Turks can’t admit to that hence the Apple Watch boswollocks. 
    AI_lias said:
    This is obviously a way for the Turkish government to not disclose their real surveillance sources, and use the Apple Watch story.
    I second the interpretation that the Apple Watch explanation is a cover. Of course, that’s now debunked. There is still the possibility that the dismemberment story is itself a fabrication. We are talking about one snake making a statement about another snake. We should always remember that to both the Turkish and Saudi governments we are infidels. Lying to infidels, in order to further jihad, is encouraged in the Qur'an and is called taqiyya.
  • Reply 19 of 49
    From the New York Times: "They severed his fingers during an interrogation and later beheaded and dismembered him, according to details from audio recordings published in the Turkish news media on Wednesday. It was all over within a few minutes, the recordings suggested."

    This whole episode is simply beyond disgusting. Beyond reason.

    A bunch of savages.
    And yet Drumpf is standing by his Saudi buddies. After all, according to him they buy millions & millions of dollars of his properties. 
    The writer was (is?) a Saudi Arabian, not an American. The US doesn’t have dominion over every country on Earth and their citizens. Get over it.

    Get over it? Dude. Has your allegiance to Trump totally blinded you to what the United States stands for? The guy was a Naturalized US citizen. A journalist with The Washington Post. His kids are US citizens. Trump is kissing the Crown Princes ring. Have you forgotten that 15 of the 19 terrorists from 9/11 were Saudis? Saudi Arabia was Trumps first international trip abroad as President. He is on video bragging about how he loves the Saudis cause they buy so much property from him. Something stinks here. I am curious how you will spin this when video & audio of the torture and killing go public. Will you say fake news? Will you deny reality?
    StrangeDaysMacPro
  • Reply 20 of 49
    From the New York Times: "They severed his fingers during an interrogation and later beheaded and dismembered him, according to details from audio recordings published in the Turkish news media on Wednesday. It was all over within a few minutes, the recordings suggested."

    This whole episode is simply beyond disgusting. Beyond reason.

    A bunch of savages.
    And yet Drumpf is standing by his Saudi buddies. After all, according to him they buy millions & millions of dollars of his properties. 
    The writer was (is?) a Saudi Arabian, not an American. The US doesn’t have dominion over every country on Earth and their citizens. Get over it.

    Get over it? Dude. Has your allegiance to Trump totally blinded you to what the United States stands for? The guy was a Naturalized US citizen. A journalist with The Washington Post. His kids are US citizens. Trump is kissing the Crown Princes ring. Have you forgotten that 15 of the 19 terrorists from 9/11 were Saudis? Saudi Arabia was Trumps first international trip abroad as President. He is on video bragging about how he loves the Saudis cause they buy so much property from him. Something stinks here. I am curious how you will spin this when video & audio of the torture and killing go public. Will you say fake news? Will you deny reality?
    His nationality is Saudi Arabian:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamal_Khashoggi

    He's not a US citizen.
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