U.S. Lawsuit: Saudi Government Responsible for 9/11 Attacks
by IPT News • Sep 9, 2011 at 1:34 pm
http://www.investigativeproject.org/3158/us-lawsuit-saudi-government-responsible-for-9-11
A U.K.-based insurance syndicate is suing the Saudi government to recover more than $215 million it paid out to victims of the 9/11 attacks.
In a complaint filed Thursday in a Johnstown, Penn. district court, Lloyd's Syndicate alleges that the government of Saudi Arabia provided direct operational and financial support to al-Qaida and its affiliates in the years leading up to the September 11 attacks.
"Absent the sponsorship of al Qaeda's material sponsors and supporters, including the defendants named herein," the suit claims, "al Qaeda would not have possessed the capacity to conceive, plan and execute the September 11 attacks."
The complaint extensively quotes counter-terrorism officials affirming that financial resources are crucial to al-Qaida's ability to launch attacks. It also gives specific examples linking the Saudi government to al-Qaida financing.
Saudi-funded charities, such as the Muslim World League (MWL), World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO) and the al Haramain Islamic Foundation, have allowed al-Qaida to sustain its global network, it says.
The complaint alleges the groups, in addition to providing funding, organized recruitment of al-Qaida fighters, training camps, reconnaissance missions and weapons delivery.
Highlighting the Saudi government's involvement, the complaint notes that the Saudis appointed Mohammed Jamal Khalifa to serve as director of MWL and IIRO's offices in the Philippines and Indonesia.
Khalifa, bin Laden's brother-in-law, met with Abu Sayyaf, a terrorist group aiming to establish an Islamic state in the Philippines, during its early years, providing it with important start-up financing and organizational support.
The lawsuit also expounds upon the Saudi government's historical links to al-Qaida.
The Saudi regime was aware of Osama bin Laden's jihadist efforts from the very beginning, it says. "More fundamentally, the jihadist worldview bin Laden was promoting was firmly grounded in Wahhabi ideology and the Western Cultural Attack narrative, as promoted by the Saudi regime itself over a period of many years."
Filed on behalf of Lloyd's Syndicate by Cozen O'Connor law firm, the suit is not the first to blame the Saudi government for aiding terrorists. A federal appeals court previously dismissed the Saudi government as a defendant in a similar case, but ruled that other organizations affiliated with the Saudi government could remain defendants.
In 2009, the Supreme Court chose not to hear the case. The government said that the Saudi government's funding of the Islamic charities was not clearly linked to terrorist groups.
Related Topics: Civil suits | IPT News
Read More: 9/11, Saudi Arabia, Civil suits
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Reader comments on this item
Payout to the victims
Submitted by mixplix, Sep 11, 2011 17:47
Ask the Red Cross that got caught scalping off funds donated to the WTC attack and saying that enough was enough.
We Should have seized saudi assets!
Submitted by Dave Tincher, Sep 11, 2011 15:15
The U.S. should have seized the saudi's oil wells for at least 15 years and out of the proceeds indeminfiy the victim's famillys, the cost of the war, the cost to reconstruct the towers, and forward some of the oil sales profits to the saudi people, and sell the oil for a reduced price to break up opec. The problem with the middle east is the oil money flows to terrorist. After all this then return the oil to the saudi's or other middle east countries with a clear warning about next time this happens the oil will be seized and not given back.
Finally The Truth Will Be Told
Submitted by John Acord, Sep 11, 2011 14:57
The Bush family are closely allied with Saudi's and other ME tyrants. They invaded and destroyed regimes hostile to th Saudi's. Iraq had not one terrorist in any attack directed at he US or for that matter Israel. The ranks are filled with Saudi's, Yemeni's, Eqyptians and UAR Arabs.
And why has the U.S. been protecting Saudi Arabia?
Submitted by Oldironsides, Sep 11, 2011 13:46
Recent posts elsewhere claim Osama bin Laden decided to attack America because he objected to the huge U.S. military base in Saudi Arabia. The base was created to protect the government of Saudi Arabia. Now your story reveals that the Saudi government itself was an accomplice in the 9-11-2001 attacks. And almost immediately following the attacks Congress passed the Patriot Act which threatened our Bill of Rights. There is almost enough here to make me into a conspiracy nut.
Saudis are not our friends
Submitted by LIAMD2, Sep 11, 2011 07:59
Hopefully, the American people will begin to realize that the Saudis are not friends of the United States. Through Saudi funded organizations like CAIR, they "own" many of our elected officials. A good example of this is NYC Mayor Bloomberg.
More Reader Comments
| Title | By | Date |
Payout to the victims |
mixplix |
|
We Should have seized saudi assets! |
Dave Tincher |
|
Finally The Truth Will Be Told |
John Acord |
|
And why has the U.S. been protecting Saudi Arabia? |
Oldironsides |
|
Saudis are not our friends |
LIAMD2 |
|
WHEN WILL US BEGIN ITS RESPOND FOR 9/11 - ITS BEEN 10 YEARS!? |
BUTSeriously |
|
Let the truth come out. |
Walter |