9/11 families seek release of documents they say include Saudi's link to attack
NEW YORK CITY -- Families of 9/11 victims expressed optimism Wednesday after a federal appeals court heard arguments in Saudi Arabia's effort to dismiss a long-running lawsuit alleging the kingdom played a role in the Sept. 11 attacks.
About 100 family members of 9/11 victims packed the courtroom as a three-judge appellate panel heard oral arguments from attorneys representing Saudi Arabia and the families. The families have been fighting for a trial for more than two decades.
Saudi Arabia is seeking to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming immunity from civil litigation as a sovereign foreign government and citing the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, or JASTA.
Terry Strada of 9/11 Families United described what she saw from the judges during the arguments.
"What I witnessed today in the courtroom was the judges gave the Saudi attorneys a very hard time, and they were not buying what they were selling," Strada said. "They asked a lot of questions over jurisdiction is what they seem the most concerned about, and does JASTA apply to them, yes, JASTA 100% applies to them."
In August of last year, a U.S. District Court judge denied Saudi Arabia's motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by 9/11 victims' families, citing reasonable evidence that Saudi government officials provided support for the Sept. 11 hijackers.
Saudi Arabia denies the allegations.
At the center of the dispute is Omar al-Bayoumi, a Saudi national whom attorneys for the families allege provided financial and logistical support to two of the Sept. 11 hijackers. Al-Bayoumi left the United States before the attacks.
If the judges rule in favor of the families, the case could proceed to trial as soon as next year and would open the door for the families to pursue more evidence that could cast light on the Kingdom's role in the attacks.
Brett Eagleson of 9/11 Justice, characterized Saudi Arabia's arguments in court Wednesday this way: "What we heard today was essentially desperation by the Saudi government. They had no specific address to the fact that a Saudi spy, a Saudi intelligence agent, had a hand-drawn sketch of an airplane and an algorithm of how to hit a target on the ground."
Loved ones who have spent years pursuing the case again called for the Trump administration to intervene.
"It is time for the Saudi government to accept accountability, and it's time for the U.S. government to stand with the families, put America first, put the families first, bring us closure, bring us accountability," Eagleson said.
Lawyers for Saudi Arabia did not speak after court. Attorneys involved in the case do not expect a ruling until early 2027.
Many of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi nationals, according to the FBI, along with a few others from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Lebanon.
The Saudis have repeatedly denied having any role in facilitating the 9/11 attacks and said in court Wednesday that they remain "an ally of the United States (and) a sworn enemy of Al Qaeda."
(ABC News contributed to this report.)
