Federal judge tosses spyware claims brought by widow of slain Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi

A Virginia federal judge found she lacked jurisdiction to review whether the creators of spyware used in the surveillance of slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi are liable for the ramifications of their product. 

“Although plaintiff presents a compelling description of her loss from the alleged conduct of the defendants, the court must nevertheless evaluate the issue of jurisdiction,” U.S. Federal Judge Leonie Brinkema, a Bill Clinton appointee, wrote in her opinion. 

Hanan Elater Khashoggi claims that during the year preceding the assassination of her husband, a prominent journalist and activist, Saudi Arabia, through the United Arab Emirates, used NSO Group’s Pegasus surveillance tool to infiltrate her phone to conduct surveillance and gather information on Jamal Khashoggi.

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