Lawsuit Advances as Saudi Arabia Faces Allegations of Supporting 9/11 Hijackers
Federal judge allows civil case to proceed, citing evidence of Saudi-employed agents assisting al-Qaida operatives in the United States
A long-running U.S. civil lawsuit has cleared a significant procedural hurdle as families of the September 11, 2001 attack victims move to hold the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia legally accountable for alleged support of the hijackers.
On August 28 2025, U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels denied the Saudi government’s motion to dismiss the case, finding that the plaintiffs presented “reasonable evidence” that Saudi-employed individuals assisted two al-Qaida operatives who arrived in the United States in early 2000.
The lawsuit, filed under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act of 2016, centres in part on two Saudi nationals: Omar al-Bayoumi, an accountant then living in San Diego, and Fahad al-Thumairy, a Saudi-appointed imam in Los Angeles.
Evidence cited by the court includes a hand-drawn diagram of an aircraft with mathematical annotations found in Bayoumi’s residence, and a “casing” video shot in 1999 by him of Washington-area landmarks including the U.S. Capitol.
The suit alleges the men helped the hijackers—Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar—secure housing, vehicles and funds while living in California.
Saudi Arabia has consistently denied any official involvement in the attacks, and the text of the ruling emphasises that the decision addresses jurisdiction—not a finding of guilt.
Nevertheless, by allowing the case to proceed the judge opened the door to discovery of internal government communications, depositions of Saudi officials and potentially a trial.
For the plaintiffs, the ruling represents a “powerful step toward justice” after more than two decades of litigation.
The timing of the ruling has added weight to growing public scrutiny of U.S.–Saudi relations, especially following statements this week by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that appeared to distance the Kingdom from the attacks.
At the same time, the U.S. government remains a strategic ally of Riyadh, complicating the legal and diplomatic landscape.
With case documents now entering discovery, the trial phase may yield far-reaching implications for the Kingdom’s global reputation and accountability in the aftermath of 9/11.
On August 28 2025, U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels denied the Saudi government’s motion to dismiss the case, finding that the plaintiffs presented “reasonable evidence” that Saudi-employed individuals assisted two al-Qaida operatives who arrived in the United States in early 2000.
The lawsuit, filed under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act of 2016, centres in part on two Saudi nationals: Omar al-Bayoumi, an accountant then living in San Diego, and Fahad al-Thumairy, a Saudi-appointed imam in Los Angeles.
Evidence cited by the court includes a hand-drawn diagram of an aircraft with mathematical annotations found in Bayoumi’s residence, and a “casing” video shot in 1999 by him of Washington-area landmarks including the U.S. Capitol.
The suit alleges the men helped the hijackers—Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar—secure housing, vehicles and funds while living in California.
Saudi Arabia has consistently denied any official involvement in the attacks, and the text of the ruling emphasises that the decision addresses jurisdiction—not a finding of guilt.
Nevertheless, by allowing the case to proceed the judge opened the door to discovery of internal government communications, depositions of Saudi officials and potentially a trial.
For the plaintiffs, the ruling represents a “powerful step toward justice” after more than two decades of litigation.
The timing of the ruling has added weight to growing public scrutiny of U.S.–Saudi relations, especially following statements this week by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that appeared to distance the Kingdom from the attacks.
At the same time, the U.S. government remains a strategic ally of Riyadh, complicating the legal and diplomatic landscape.
With case documents now entering discovery, the trial phase may yield far-reaching implications for the Kingdom’s global reputation and accountability in the aftermath of 9/11.