Russian officials to examine phone of envoy's assassin

ANKARA - Russian officials will examine the phone of Mevlut Mert Altintas, who killed the Russian Ambassador to Turkey, as part of a joint investigation into the assassination, Hurriyet News reported Thursday.

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has been examining speculation that Altintas received insider information from Russian Embassy officials.

Russian officials are also investigating whether a "mole" in the embassy was involved in the planning of the assassination.

Altintas was reportedly wearing a guard police badge during the assassination.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Erdogan said Wednesday in a press conference with his visiting Albanian counterpart that "The assassin of the Russian ambassador is obviously a member of the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO). There is no need to hide it."

"Where he grew up and all connections reveal this (FETO membership)," he added.

Erdogan said that the assassin's international links were being investigated by the Turkish National Intelligence Service.

On Monday, Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov was shot and critically wounded when he was delivering a speech at the Contemporary Arts Gallery in Ankara's central Cankaya district. Karlove died later in the hospital.