Additional Coverage:
9/11 Families’ Lawsuit Against Saudi Arabia Allowed to Proceed
A federal judge has ruled against Saudi Arabia’s attempt to dismiss a lawsuit filed by families of 9/11 victims. The families allege that the Saudi government provided support to the hijackers. This decision marks a significant development in the ongoing legal battle to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for its potential role in the attacks.
The lawsuit, described by lawyers as a complex and challenging case, had been previously dismissed in 2015 but was later revived by a federal appeals court. The 2016 Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act further bolstered the families’ legal standing, enabling victims of terror attacks to sue foreign governments suspected of providing material support to attackers.
Long-standing allegations linking members of the Saudi government to some of the 9/11 hijackers have been consistently denied by Saudi Arabia, a close U.S. ally. The focus remains on two hijackers, Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi, who were on the plane that struck the Pentagon.
A Saudi man, Omar al-Bayoumi, assisted them in finding an apartment in Los Angeles. While a 2004 report suggested this meeting was coincidental, the families contend Bayoumi had deeper ties to the Saudi government, potentially serving as an intelligence officer.
Further scrutiny has also fallen on Fahad al-Thumairy, a Saudi diplomat and imam, though previous investigations found no evidence of his involvement.
Recent evidence, including a video of Bayoumi filming the U.S. Capitol and referencing a “plan,” has reignited suspicions.
Investigators have long believed the Capitol was the intended target of Flight 93, which ultimately crashed in Pennsylvania. A notebook discovered in Bayoumi’s home containing what appeared to be a plane drawing and a descent calculation further fueled these suspicions.
Judge George Daniels rejected Saudi Arabia’s arguments, citing “reasonable evidence” of the roles played by Bayoumi, Thumairy, and the Saudi government in assisting the hijackers. He dismissed the Saudi government’s explanations as insufficient and “self-contradictory.” The judge highlighted Bayoumi’s assistance in securing the hijackers’ apartment and the presence of the notebook as key pieces of evidence.
The families’ legal team welcomed the decision, expressing their intent to move the case forward to trial. Another firm representing the families echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the ruling’s significance in their “pursuit of truth and justice.” The Justice Department and the Saudi Embassy have not yet commented on the ruling.