9/11 Families Push for Saudi Arabia's Accountability in Appeals Court

A federal appeals court is scheduled to hear arguments Wednesday on whether Saudi Arabia can be shielded from a lawsuit accusing the kingdom of aiding the 9/11 hijackers. The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan will consider a lower court's ruling that allowed the case to proceed, a decision that Saudi Arabia is now contesting.

Judges Guido Calabresi, William Nardini, and Eunice Lee will hear arguments from legal teams representing both the Saudi government and the families of the September 11th victims. The lawsuit alleges that Saudi Arabia provided support to the 19 hijackers, 15 of whom were Saudi citizens. This claim is based on evidence that a Saudi national, Omar al-Bayoumi, allegedly helped secure lodging for two of the hijackers in California and may have coordinated with the Saudi government.

US District Court Judge George Daniels previously found that there was "reasonable evidence" to suggest a connection between al-Bayoumi, described as a suspected Saudi spy, and the kingdom. The judge noted that a potential jury could infer that al-Bayoumi, who hosted a welcome party for two of the hijackers and was seen filming the U.S. Capitol before the attacks, acted in coordination with the Saudi government.

Saudi Arabia maintains its sovereign immunity and argues it should not face trial in U.S. courts. However, families of the 9/11 victims have expressed frustration with the kingdom's continued denial of involvement. Terry Strada, national chair of 9/11 Families United, whose husband was killed in the World Trade Center, stated, "The Kingdom continues to lie in court and deny any culpability, when the evidence shows that their agents were directly involved in the attacks."

The lawsuit, initially filed in 2004, contends that a faction within Saudi Arabia's government provided assistance to the hijackers. This legal battle has seen numerous developments over the years, including a congressional act in 2017 that made it easier for 9/11 victims' families to sue countries accused of sponsoring terrorism.

On September 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes, crashing them into the World Trade Center towers in New York, the Pentagon near Washington D.C., and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, resulting in the deaths of 2,977 civilians. The appeals court is expected to issue a written ruling at a later date.