9/11 lawsuits flood Saudi Arabia

More than 20 US insurance companies have sued two Saudi Arabian banks, companies linked to the family of terrorist Osama bin Laden and several charities over the September 11, 2001 attacks.

According to Reuters, the lawsuit was filed in Manhattan District Court, New York City, USA on April 12 (local time), requesting compensation of 4.2 billion USD.

The ten defendants in the case include Al Rajhi Bank, National Commercial Bank (Saudi Arabia), airline contractor Dallah Avco, Mohamed Binladin Company, the Muslim World League (MWL) and several charities.

All were accused of supporting the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people, through a series of actions in support of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network.

The World Trade Center (WTC) building in New York City collapsed after being attacked. Photo: REUTERS

More than 20 US insurance companies are expected to take $4.2 billion in compensation to pay policyholders, injuries, property damage and business operations after the attack.

Al Rajhi Bank previously said US courts had “repeatedly” dismissed similar lawsuits against it. The bank also asserted that it had no involvement in terrorism and complied with all applicable laws.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Arabian government owns a large stake in the National Commercial Bank. Saudi Arabian Ministry of Commerce spokesman Matt Bordonaro did not comment on the lawsuit.

The lawsuits are the latest in a series of efforts by the U.S. to bring such lawsuits against Saudi entities. Congress authorized them last September, despite former President Barack Obama warning that they could cause Saudi Arabia to withdraw investment from the U.S.

In addition to the lawsuit by the US insurance companies, Saudi Arabia was also sued by a widow in October 2016 and by about 800 people injured in the September 11, 2001, attacks and their families in March.

In the 2016 lawsuit, Stephanie DeSimone, the wife of U.S. Navy officer Patrick Dunn, who was killed when one of the planes crashed into the Pentagon, filed in a Washington court. She was two months pregnant at the time.

Ms. DeSimone's lawsuit accuses the Saudi Arabian government of providing material support to Al-Qaeda and its leader Osama bin Laden,

In a lawsuit filed in March, more than 800 people also accused Riyadh of funding Al-Qaeda. The lawsuit was filed in Manhattan District Court.

According to NLĐ