New York court hears oral arguments in September 11 lawsuit

A court in New York has heard arguments in a long-standing lawsuit brought by families of September 11 victims against the government of Saudi Arabia, the BBC reported. The plaintiffs allege that individuals linked to the Saudi government provided assistance to the hijackers who executed the 2001 attacks. [1]

The Saudi government has stated that any claim that it or its officials were complicit in the attacks is categorically false, according to the BBC. A retired government worker named Bayoumi denied knowing that two men he met were hijackers or having any involvement in the plot. [1]

Saudi Arabia has argued in court that it possesses immunity from prosecution in United States courts as a foreign sovereign state, the BBC reported. The families originally filed their legal action in 2002 and spent years lobbying the United States Congress for statutory changes. [1]

Congress passed the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act in 2016, amending foreign sovereign immunity laws to permit the civil lawsuit to move forward, according to the BBC. New York is the most populous city in the United States and serves as a global financial center. [1][4]