More Than 600 Sept. 11 Victims' Families Sue Saudis, Banks

More Than 600 Sept. 11 Victims' Families Sue Saudis, Banks

by Laurie Kellman
The Associated Press
August 15, 2002

WASHINGTON – More than 600 family members of Sept. 11 victims filed a 15-count federal lawsuit Thursday against Saudi princes and institutions, charging they financed Osama bin Laden's terrorist network.

The suit, modeled after action filed against Libya in the Pan Am flight 103 disaster, seeks to cripple banks, charities and some members of the Saudi royal family – as well as vengeance for the families of those who perished, the plaintiffs said.

"It's not the money. We want to do something to get at these people," said Irene Spina, whose daughter, Lisa L. Trerotola, 38, perished in the World Trade Center. "There's nothing else we can do."

Lead attorney Ron Motley said the monetary damages his clients seek have not yet been calculated, but he expects they will top the hundreds of billions of dollars and come largely from assets held by the defendants in the United States.

The 258-page complaint was filed electronically Thursday in U.S. District Court in Washington, he said.

It names more than seven dozen defendants, including the government of Sudan, seven banks, eight Islamic foundations and three Saudi princes.

Those listed include Mohammed al Faisal al Saud, Turki al Faisal al Saud, and Sultan bin Abdul Aziz al Saud, Khalid bin Salim bin Mahfouz, the National Commercial Bank, and the Faisal Islamic Bank.

"That kingdom sponsors terrorism," said Motley. "This is an insidious group of people."

Officials from the Saudi Embassy did not immediately return a call for comment.

President Bush's administration has been careful not to blame the Saudi government for the attacks in its drive build a coalition for its war against terrorism.

Prince Saud said last week that 70-year-old U.S.-Saudi alliance was just as solid now as before the Sept. 11 terror attacks on the United States.

He said Osama bin Laden, who was stripped of Saudi citizenship and who directed the al-Qaida attacks, had intended to drive a wedge between the two countries when he chose 15 Saudi citizens to be among the 19 hijackers.

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