NEW: Jamal Khashoggi’s fiancé sues Mohammad bin Salman in DC Court over killing of Khashoggi, alleging the plan started there when he went to DC embassy. This is key for several reasons: it goes to whether Khashoggi’s phone was hacked and why/how the Saudis adjusted their plans.

We at @TAAP2020 recently wrote bin Salman/Saudi officials originally planned to harm Khashoggi in Virginia. The White House was allegedly warned of that plan—but didn’t tell Khashoggi.

Then, the Saudis suddenly changed plans. This suit could bring some discovery on that issue.

Per the lawsuit: “Defendants learned, after hacking mobile telephone(s) of Mr. Khashoggi’s associate(s), that Mr. Khashoggi had created and headed DAWN (human rights group) and Defendants were deeply concerned that Mr. Khashoggi’s activities in the United States, including..

his calls for democracy and observance of human rights in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, would undermine Defendants’ pecuniary and political interests. Accordingly, Defendants resolved to put an end to Mr. Khashoggi’s efforts by any means necessary.”

“While Mr. Khashoggi was in the United States, members of the Saudi Embassy, who were also in the United States, lured Mr. Khashoggi to the Saudi Consulate in Turkey under a ruse that Turkey was the sole place he could obtain documents he sought.”

“Defendant MBS instructed the Saudi Ambassador to the United States ... to assure Khashoggi it would be safe for Khashoggi to retrieve what he needed at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. The Ambassador did so, setting in motion chain of events that led to Mr. Khashoggi’s murder.”

“Significantly, Saudi officials banned Khashoggi from writing in newspapers, appearing on television, and speaking at conferences after Khashoggi made statements critical of President-Elect Donald Trump during a presentation at a Washington-based think-tank on November 10, 2016.”

And now the hacking: “Defendants also learned of Mr. Khashoggi’s activities with DAWN by hacking the phone of his friend and colleague Omar Abdulaziz.”

“In June 2018, an operator working on behalf of Defendants infected Mr. Abdulaziz’s cell phone with Pegasus spyware. Pegasus spyware allowed Defendants to access Mr. Abdulaziz’s contacts, text messages, online chat logs, emails, and otherwise encrypted apps such as WhatsApp.”

“The software also allowed Defendants to use the microphone and camera on Mr. Abdulaziz’s mobile phone.”

Pegasus was developed by Israeli spyware firm NSO GROUP, tied to Michael Flynn—in May 2016 he was appointed to the board of one of its subsidiaries. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/michael-flynn-nso-group-spyware_n_59468386e4b06bb7d273c398

“In late 2017 or early 2018, Mr. Khashoggi’s passport went missing from his home in Virginia. After Mr. Khashoggi and one of his colleagues were unable to locate it, Mr. Khashoggi was forced to go to the Saudi Embassy in Washington to obtain a replacement.”

The Saudis then lured him to Istanbul and murdered him. These statements are graphic and I won’t post them out of respect.