Twenty-three years after the deadliest attack on American soil in the country’s history, the mantra “Never Forget” endures in the American consciousness as a solemn reminder of that day. More than 3,000 people were killed when hijacked planes were flown into the buildings that made up the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
For the thousands of families who believe that important facts about the attack that stole their loved ones were omitted, this is a phrase not so much spoken, but lived.
And not just on September 11.
The families are awaiting a crucial decision from a federal judge in their years-long battle for justice against Saudi Arabia. They allege that the Arab country formed a support network that aided the hijackers in the U.S., leading to the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Saudi Arabia denies the accusation.
In a hearing in July regarding a Saudi motion to dismiss the case, the families’ lawyers presented evidence that they claim reveals a support network involving several high-ranking Saudi officials working in the U.S. — some within the embassy in Washington, D.C. — that facilitated the hijackers’ movements throughout the country.
Although 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens, Saudi Arabia has denied any government involvement in the attacks. The U.S. has long said that its Middle Eastern strategic partner played no role and that Al Qaeda acted on its own in hijacking four commercial planes and flying them into the Twin Towers in New York City and the Pentagon. A fourth plane, United Flight 93, crashed in Pennsylvania.
But allegations of Saudi complicity have persisted. The litigation against Saudi Arabia has been ongoing since 2002. In 2016, Congress overturned a veto by then-President Barack Obama to enact a law allowing individuals to sue foreign governments for terrorist attacks, paving the way for the families’ claims against Saudi Arabia to proceed.
Thousands of lawsuits seeking compensation from Saudi Arabia for allegedly providing material and financial assistance to Al Qaeda have been consolidated into a multidistrict litigation being overseen by a federal district judge in Manhattan.
One of the key pieces of evidence presented by the families of the victims is the involvement of a student who was living in Los Angeles at the time, sponsored by the Arab government. The families allege that he assisted the hijackers, while Saudi Arabia claims he was merely a student and volunteer at a mosque, helping newcomers, especially those who did not speak English, find housing and settle in the city.
The lawyers representing the families of the victims assert that the case, which has been ongoing in the courts for years, aims to send a very strong message to the world that, “if you attack Americans on American soil, we will hold you accountable in a U.S. court.”
Source: CNN