9/11 Case Against Saudis Moves Forward: The Tide Has Turned

On March 28, a New York federal judge issued a major ruling helping to hold Saudi Arabian defendants accountable for the 9/11 terror attacks. The pre-trial ruling on behalf of family members of 9/11 victims largely reversed a previous ruling granting defendants sovereign immunity. Also, the ruling thwarted the Saudi government, whose Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited U. S. power brokers the past week to discuss major arms and oil deals and strategic interests.

The victory for 9/11 family members stemmed from their determination with the support of grassroots truth-seekers and several bold congressional leaders who ultimately won majorities for a recent law, JASTA. Several of these figures are shown in the adjoining photo during at 2016 press conference on Capitol Hill. They include 9/11 widow Terri Strada (national chair for 9/11 Families and Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism, her daughter Kaitlyn and the three main congressional supporters of the families in their fight for the legal right to obtain suppressed records implicating Saudis. MSNBC interviewed Terry Strada March 30 in the segment: Judge Allows Suit Alleging Saudi Arabia Financed 9/11 Attacks To Move Forward.

The guest column below is by a grassroots supporter of the families and full disclosure, Les Jamieson, a founder of the website HR 14 that advocated for years for release of a suppressed “28-page” segment of the 2002 9/11 report from the Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities before and after the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001.

This column, which originally appeared at the 9/11 Truth Action Project site, is part of ongoing coverage by the Justice Integrity Project. An appendix below provides links to recent and background materials.  

By Les Jamieson

Since 2002, the 9/11 families have been litigating against Saudi Arabia and related entities whom they’ve charged with responsibility in the 9/11 attacks, according to Jersey widow, Lori Van Auken.

For years, the complex case has dealt with major setbacks, mainly due to rulings that went along with the Saudi defense team’s claims that the plaintiffs had insufficient evidence and that Saudi Arabia was protected by sovereign immunity.

Declassification of the 28 pages on July 15, 2016 and passage of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) that September changed everything. A convergence of events leading to the 15th anniversary of the attacks brought momentum that even the power of the security state could not withstand.

Within a month after passage of JASTA, families filed an amended complaint that reinstated Saudi Arabia, plus two additional family lawsuits. Then an appeal by the plaintiffs in response to release of Saudi Arabia was won. However, the Saudi defense team moved for dismissal again. These events culminated in a hearing in January.

On Wednesday, March 28, Judge Daniels, who had previously released the Saudi’s from the lawsuit, has denied their motion to dismiss and ruled in favor of the 9/11 families.

The tide has turned. The suit against Saudi Arabia can finally move forward to the discovery stage, which is what they sought to avoid at all costs. Now a family of oil billionaires and their official entities with the power to affect the global economy and balance of power in the Middle East, will be held to account.