Josephkempton
June 30th, 2009, 10:12 pm
On Monday June 29th, under limited publicity, the Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit filed by 9-11 victims against Saudi Arabia supporting a ruling of a lower court based on “Sovereign Immunity”, and that there was “no evidence that the Saudi Government or senior Saudi officials funded Al Queda”, as stated by the 9-11 Commission.
The below refernced NYT article provides “evidence” of senior Saudi officials funding Al Queda. This evidence was available before the 9-11 Commission findings, exemplified by the well publicized Michael Moore film “Fahrenheit 9-11”. Despite the overt political nature of the film, evidence of Saudi connections to Al Queda, in particular between the former head of Saudi Intelligence prince Turki al-Faisal and Osama Bin Laden was presented. Is there some obscure usage of the word “evidence” that the 9-11 Commission evoked in its definition of the word “evidence”?
There was a similar lawsuit against Iraq for 9-11 complicity, O’neil versus Iraq. “Sovereign Immunity” also applied and similar to the Saudi case, the 9-11 Commission found “no evidence” linking Iraq to 9-11. Despite the 9-11 commission, the evidence presented to the Federal Southern District Court of New York was enough to successfully award the O’neil estate $104 million.
George Bush was skewered by liberals for shielding Saudi Arabia, particularly by the Michael Moore film. Bush is out of office now. The only impediment to prosecuting Saudi Arabia is/was the Obama administration. So what is it? Were liberals wrong back then or are they wrong now?
Joseph Kempton
June 30th
Reference:
Court won't hear Sept. 11 claims vs. Saudi Arabia
06-29-2009
Associated Press
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090629/ap_on_go_su_co/us_supreme_court_sept11_lawsuits (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090629/ap_on_go_su_co/us_supreme_court_sept11_lawsuits)
(abridged)
The Obama administration had angered some victims and families by urging the justices to pass up the case.
Documents Back Saudi Link To Extremists
By ERIC LICHTBLAU (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/l/eric_lichtblau/index.html?inline=nyt-per)
Published: June 23, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/world/middleeast/24saudi.html?_r=3 (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/world/middleeast/24saudi.html?_r=3)
(abridged)
The case has put the Obama administration in the middle of a political and legal dispute, with the Justice Department siding (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/30/us/politics/30families.html) with the Saudis in court last month in seeking to kill further legal action. Adding to the intrigue, classified American intelligence documents related to Saudi finances were leaked anonymously to lawyers for the families. The Justice Department had the lawyers’ copies destroyed and now wants to prevent a judge from even looking at the material.
Lawsuit ruling finds Iraq partly responsible for 9/11
By Richard Willing, USA TODAY
Posted 5/7/2003 1:46 PM Updated 5/7/2003 7:40 PM
Contributing: Barbara Slavin
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-05-07-911-judge-awards_x.htm (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-05-07-911-judge-awards_x.htm)
(abridged)
NEW YORK — A federal judge in New York City on Wednesday found Iraq among those liable for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and awarded nearly $104 million to the families of two men who died in the World Trade Center.
The testimony, Baer wrote, "barely" established a link between al-Qaeda and Iraq but offered enough proof to persuade a "reasonable jury."
Oneil Iraw Lawsuit: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/iraqop1.html (http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/iraqop1.html)
Baer Opinion: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/graphics/pdf/iraqop.pdf (http://www.thesmokinggun.com/graphics/pdf/iraqop.pdf)
The below refernced NYT article provides “evidence” of senior Saudi officials funding Al Queda. This evidence was available before the 9-11 Commission findings, exemplified by the well publicized Michael Moore film “Fahrenheit 9-11”. Despite the overt political nature of the film, evidence of Saudi connections to Al Queda, in particular between the former head of Saudi Intelligence prince Turki al-Faisal and Osama Bin Laden was presented. Is there some obscure usage of the word “evidence” that the 9-11 Commission evoked in its definition of the word “evidence”?
There was a similar lawsuit against Iraq for 9-11 complicity, O’neil versus Iraq. “Sovereign Immunity” also applied and similar to the Saudi case, the 9-11 Commission found “no evidence” linking Iraq to 9-11. Despite the 9-11 commission, the evidence presented to the Federal Southern District Court of New York was enough to successfully award the O’neil estate $104 million.
George Bush was skewered by liberals for shielding Saudi Arabia, particularly by the Michael Moore film. Bush is out of office now. The only impediment to prosecuting Saudi Arabia is/was the Obama administration. So what is it? Were liberals wrong back then or are they wrong now?
Joseph Kempton
June 30th
Reference:
Court won't hear Sept. 11 claims vs. Saudi Arabia
06-29-2009
Associated Press
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090629/ap_on_go_su_co/us_supreme_court_sept11_lawsuits (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090629/ap_on_go_su_co/us_supreme_court_sept11_lawsuits)
(abridged)
The Obama administration had angered some victims and families by urging the justices to pass up the case.
Documents Back Saudi Link To Extremists
By ERIC LICHTBLAU (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/l/eric_lichtblau/index.html?inline=nyt-per)
Published: June 23, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/world/middleeast/24saudi.html?_r=3 (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/world/middleeast/24saudi.html?_r=3)
(abridged)
The case has put the Obama administration in the middle of a political and legal dispute, with the Justice Department siding (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/30/us/politics/30families.html) with the Saudis in court last month in seeking to kill further legal action. Adding to the intrigue, classified American intelligence documents related to Saudi finances were leaked anonymously to lawyers for the families. The Justice Department had the lawyers’ copies destroyed and now wants to prevent a judge from even looking at the material.
Lawsuit ruling finds Iraq partly responsible for 9/11
By Richard Willing, USA TODAY
Posted 5/7/2003 1:46 PM Updated 5/7/2003 7:40 PM
Contributing: Barbara Slavin
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-05-07-911-judge-awards_x.htm (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-05-07-911-judge-awards_x.htm)
(abridged)
NEW YORK — A federal judge in New York City on Wednesday found Iraq among those liable for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and awarded nearly $104 million to the families of two men who died in the World Trade Center.
The testimony, Baer wrote, "barely" established a link between al-Qaeda and Iraq but offered enough proof to persuade a "reasonable jury."
Oneil Iraw Lawsuit: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/iraqop1.html (http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/iraqop1.html)
Baer Opinion: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/graphics/pdf/iraqop.pdf (http://www.thesmokinggun.com/graphics/pdf/iraqop.pdf)