Judge allows 9/11 victims’ lawsuit against Saudi Arabia to proceed

Sep 02, 2025 at 05:20 PM CDT

Eva Fedderly (Legal Reporter)

A federal judge ruled that 9/11 victims and their families can take Saudi Arabia to trial after years of the kingdom dodging legal action. — Image credit: Thomas Hengge/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Summary

9/11 civil trial

A federal judge ruled that victims of 9/11 can take the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to civil trial.

New evidence

Plaintiffs offered evidence that presents a different picture of Saudi Arabia’s involvement compared with what was previously said by the FBI.

Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism

A 2016 law helped pave the way for this Multi-District Litigation to go to trial.

Full story

Victims of 9/11 can take Saudi Arabia to trial, a judge ruled on Aug. 28. For years, the kingdom dodged legal action because of its sovereign immunity.

After many legal hurdles, this 23-year-long legal saga can now go to civil trial, in a crucial win for the survivors and victims’ family members of the 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

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Multiple hurdles

A federal court dismissed the case in 2015 due to the kingdom’s sovereign immunity. But this was overturned in 2016 by an appeals court with the enactment of Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism, which allows civil cases to proceed against foreign governments that are charged with terrorism on American soil.

The consolidated Multi-District Litigation, which includes thousands of plaintiffs, alleges that Saudi Arabia supported al-Qaida and helped facilitate the attacks.

The case focuses on two lower-level Saudi officials who were living in California at the time: Omar al-Bayoumi and Fahad al-Thumairy, who are said to have plugged in al-Qaida operatives to resources in the United States.

New evidence

New evidence presented by the plaintiffs challenges the FBI’s stance that al-Bayoumi and al-Thumairy unknowingly helped the al-Qaida hijackers when assisting them before the attacks.

“Information uncovered by plaintiffs has rewritten the history of the Sept. 11 plot as it was presented in the years after the attacks by the George W. Bush administration and the bipartisan 9/11 Commission,” wrote Tim Golden for ProPublica. “Most significantly, the plaintiffs’ evidence has undermined the FBI’s conclusion that two Saudi officials in Southern California — one a part-time spy, the other a religious official with diplomatic status — acted ‘unwittingly’ when they helped the first Qaida hijackers who arrived in the United States.”

Judge George B. Daniels of the Southern District of New York in Manhattan ruled Thursday that the case can go to trial.

“We created an overwhelming picture of Saudi Arabia’s role in supporting the 9/11 hijackers,” said Brett Eagleson, a spokesperson for the victims whose father was killed in the World Trade Center attacks.

The kingdom could appeal the ruling under special protections granted to foreign governments under U.S. federal law.

Eva Fedderly (Legal Reporter)

Eva Fedderly is a New York City-based legal journalist for Straight Arrow News.

Cole Lauterbach (Managing Editor) and Drew Pittock (Digital Producer) contributed to this report.

Tags: 9/11, FBI, saudi arabia

Why this story matters

A federal judge's decision to allow a lawsuit against Saudi Arabia by families of 9/11 victims to move forward could open new legal and diplomatic questions about alleged foreign support for the 2001 terrorist attacks and international legal accountability.

Legal accountability

The ruling enables the court to consider claims and evidence that Saudi Arabia, as alleged by plaintiffs, provided support for the 9/11 attackers, testing the reach of U.S. law over foreign governments accused of aiding terrorism.

International relations

The ongoing litigation and allegations directly impact U.S.–Saudi relations, potentially affecting diplomatic, political and strategic ties between the two countries.

Victims' pursuit of justice

Families of 9/11 victims have sought accountability for more than two decades; this judicial ruling is seen by many representatives as a major step in advancing their long-standing legal campaign.

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Context corner

The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, passed in 2016, created a path for foreign governments to be sued in U.S. courts if alleged to have supported terrorist attacks on American soil despite traditional sovereign immunity protections.

Global impact

The case could impact diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s largest oil producers and U.S. investment partners, with possible implications for future foreign sovereign immunity in terrorism-related U.S. litigation.

Oppo research

Opponents of the lawsuit, including Saudi Arabia and its legal representatives, have consistently denied all allegations of government involvement, arguing any contacts were coincidental or innocuous and asserting the kingdom’s longstanding partnership with the U.S. against terrorism.

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Sources

Bias comparison

Media outlets on the left spotlight explicit allegations of Saudi complicity by emphasizing detailed, emotionally charged evidence — such as Bayoumi’s Capitol surveillance and cryptic notebook — using terms like “helped” and “complicity” to frame Saudi Arabia as an active accomplice.
Not enough unique coverage from media outlets in the center to provide a bias comparison.
Media outlets on the right highlight the judge’s ruling as a “huge win” for 9/11 families and stresses accountability, employing assertive language like “major victory” and affirming suspicions of Saudi support while referencing the 9/11 Commission’s lack of conclusive proof to nuance the narrative.

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Media landscape

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Key points from the Left

A federal judge in New York denied Saudi Arabia's motion to dismiss a lawsuit from families of 9/11 victims, allowing the case to proceed.
The families allege Saudi involvement in the attacks, specifically linking figures like Omar al-Bayoumi to the hijackers.
U.S. District Judge George Daniels stated that the evidence presented by the plaintiffs is reasonable and substantial.
Lawyers for the families expressed optimism for their pursuit of justice, stating the ruling allows critical issues to be examined at trial.

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Key points from the Center

A federal judge in New York rejected Saudi Arabia's effort to dismiss civil claims that it supported the 9/11 hijackers.
Lawyers for relatives of 9/11 victims claim that a group of extremist religious leaders in Saudi Arabia aided the 9/11 hijackers.
The law firm representing plaintiffs said the judge's decision "ensures that the plaintiffs may continue their long pursuit of truth and justice."

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See Hide headlines from Center sources 38 sources

Key points from the Right

A federal judge in New York allowed families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia, rejecting the country's motion to dismiss the case.
The lawsuit claims that Saudi Arabia established a support network for the hijackers, a claim that the kingdom has consistently denied.
Brett Eagleson of 9/11 Justice called the ruling a significant step toward accountability for the victims' families, stating it allows them to pursue justice after two decades.
Judge George Daniels cited evidence linking Saudi nationals Fahad al-Thumairy and Omar al-Bayoumi to supporting the hijackers in his ruling.

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