Lawyers representing Saudi Arabia contended on Wednesday that the country was engaged in battling terrorism and al-Qaida, similar to the efforts made by the United States in the 1990s, and therefore should not be held liable in lawsuits demanding over $100 billion for the families of individuals who lost their lives in the September 11 terrorist attacks.
The case, which has been ongoing for two decades in Manhattan, saw U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels hearing arguments regarding evidence in the lawsuit.
The lawyers for the families of 9/11 victims allege that a faction of extremist religious figures in Saudi Arabia gained influence within the Saudi government and provided assistance to the 9/11 hijackers responsible for crashing planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. It is noted that out of the 19 attackers involved in the September 11 attacks, fifteen were of Saudi origin.
Numerous victims’ families, as well as survivors who were injured, insurance companies, and businesses, have filed lawsuits stating that Saudi government employees actively aided the 9/11 hijackers and supported al-Qaida’s growth into a terrorist organization by financing charities that backed them.
While several defendants like Iran, the Taliban, and al-Qaida have already been marked in default, lawyers representing Saudi Arabia argue that the nation cooperated with the United States in combating terrorism, including al-Qaida and its leader, Osama bin Laden, during the 1990s.
They claim that plaintiffs have failed to provide ample evidence over the last four years to substantiate their claims, emphasizing that Saudi Arabia took actions against bin Laden by stripping him of his citizenship in the 1990s, more than any other country before the 9/11 attacks.
Opposing arguments from the plaintiffs’ side suggested there was substantial evidence indicating a collaboration between a network of individuals in the U.S. and Saudi officials, who allegedly aided the hijackers in preparing for the attacks.
Declassified documents reveal that U.S. investigators probed into Saudi diplomats and individuals with ties to the Saudi government who had interactions with the hijackers post their arrival in the U.S. The 9/11 Commission report did not find evidence of direct funding from the Saudi government or senior officials for the attacks organized by al-Qaida, but expressed the likelihood that Saudi-backed charities were involved.
Despite Daniels previously dismissing Saudi Arabia as a defendant in the case, a new legislation passed by Congress removed certain defenses, allowing the 9/11 victims to reintroduce their claims. Saudi Arabia, a significant U.S. ally in the Middle East, had opposed this legislative change.
