Make New York Post a Preferred Source Relatives of Sept.11 victims flooded a New York City courtroom Wednesday — where they ripped Saudi Arabia’s bid to avoid blame for aiding the Al Qaeda hijackers as “outrageous.”
Around 100 people who lost loved ones on that horrific day packed the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in lower Manhattan, just blocks from Ground Zero, and were left fuming at the Kingdom’s efforts to dodge liability in the long-delayed case.
“It’s outrageous, after seeing the evidence of the direct link between the Saudi government agents and hijackers, for them to continue denying their culpability,” said Terry Strada, who lost her husband Tom in the attacks.
“We’re hoping to finally see justice,” added Lisa Friedman, whose husband Andrew was killed that day.
Riyadh is appealing a lower court’s ruling last August that the families can take Saudi Arabia to trial because there’s “reasonable evidence” that it ran a support network for some of the terrorists.
Saudi officials deny having any knowledge of the attacks beforehand and claim they’re protected from the lawsuit under foreign sovereign immunity — despite a 2016 act of Congress making it easier for Sept.11 victims’ families to sue countries accused of sponsoring terrorism.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has never supported its enemy, Al Qaeda, against its ally, the United States,” said Gregory Rapawy, a lawyer for the oil-rich nation, during the 90-minute court hearing.
Gavin Simpson, who reps the relatives of Sept.11 victims, countered that the Saudi government has “failed” to prove that it should be removed from the suit that claims it was complicit in the terror attacks.
Several plaintiffs seated in the courtroom gallery applauded after Simpson finished his arguments, earning a light chastising from Circuit Court Judge William Nardini.
“Please, this is not a moment for such things,” Nardini said after hearing the smattering of clapping.
After the hearing wrapped, family members of the Sept.11 victims called on President Trump to put pressure on the Saudi government to apologize for their alleged role in the terror attack.
“We’re all fed up. And it’s time that the president defended us,” said Aaron Sand, whose dad Eric died after planes flew into the Twin Towers.
“President Trump, I love ya, but you are not doing enough,” Sand added. “You have to prioritize the family members who were harmed, who lost loved ones because of this nation that claims to be an ally but is very much proving the opposite.”
Victims’ relatives flew in from around the country to attend the hearing, including Steve Milam, who came all the way from Dallas. His brother, US Army Major Ron Milam, was killed at the Pentagon on Sept.11.
“I’m just hoping the judges will see that it is necessary in order to help the families in their healing process that Saudi Arabia be held liable for the tragic loss of our loved ones,” he told The Post.
The suit, first filed in 2004, alleges that suspected Saudi spy Omar al-Bayoumi helped secure California lodging for a pair of American Airlines Flight 77 hijackers, once hosted a “welcome party” for two hijackers, and at one point was seen in a chilling video “casing” the US Capitol building.
Al-Bayoumi, who is believed to live in Saudi Arabia, has denied that he was a spy.
Appeals judges Nardini, Guido Calabresi and Eunice Lee said Wednesday that they’ll rule on whether to uphold the lower court’s ruling — and clear the way for a trial — at some point in the coming months.
— Additional reporting by Priscilla DeGregory
