In a landmark decision nearly 24 years after the September 11 attacks, U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels has ruled that families of 9/11 victims may move forward with a civil lawsuit against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, alleging the nation provided material support to the al-Qaeda hijackers responsible for the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil.
The ruling denies Saudi Arabia’s motion to dismiss the long-running case, originally filed in 2003, and marks a pivotal moment in the pursuit of justice by survivors and families of the 2,977 individuals killed in the attacks.
Judge Daniels cited “reasonable evidence” that two Saudi nationals—Omar al-Bayoumi and Fahad al-Thumairy—were sent to the United States by the Saudi government and allegedly assisted hijackers Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar in settling in California prior to the attacks. The judge concluded that Saudi Arabia failed to provide sufficient evidence to refute claims that these individuals acted on behalf of the kingdom.
“This is a historic win for the families,” said Brett Eagleson, spokesperson for the plaintiffs and son of a 9/11 victim. “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is going to be held accountable.”
The decision follows years of legal and legislative battles, including the passage of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) in 2016, which enabled U.S. citizens to sue foreign governments for acts of terrorism committed on American soil.