Khashoggi death prompts legal appeal from Al-Qaida convict

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A northern Virginia man serving life in prison for joining al-Qaida and plotting to assassinate then-President George W. Bush says his sentence should be vacated because the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi shows Saudi Arabia lies about the brutality of its security forces.

Ahmed Omar Abu Ali was convicted in 2005. A key piece of evidence was a confession he gave in Saudi custody. Abu Ali said the confession was tortured out of him by Saudi Arabia’s internal security agency.

Saudi agents testified under assumed names at Abu Ali’s trial, denying any torture.

In a motion filed Wednesday in federal court in Alexandria, Abu Ali’s lawyer argues Khashoggi’s killing last year is evidence Saudi security forces will lie about mistreatment they inflict. Saudi Arabia initially denied any responsibility for Khashoggi’s death.