Immunity claimed for Saudi princes; from lawsuits relating to the 9/11 terrorist attacks

UPI ^ | 10-17-03

[Brian S]

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- Lawyers for two Saudi princes argued in Washington Friday their clients have immunity from lawsuits relating to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, CNN reports.

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz and Prince Turki al-Faisal, formerly head of Saudi Arabia's intelligence agency, have been sued by hundreds of relatives of the victims. They allege the two knowingly contributed money and support to al-Qaida through Islamic charitable organizations.

[Brian S]

But...of course!

[Brian S]

Oh damn...my first attempt to find this story from CNN failed but my second attempt found it. Here is the CNN report:


Saudi princes seek immunity against 9/11 lawsuits

Victims' families say they knew donations went to al Qaeda

Friday, October 17, 2003 Posted: 8:56 PM EDT (0056 GMT)

---

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Lawyers representing two Saudi princes argued Friday that their clients have immunity from lawsuits relating to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, because they are diplomatic officials.

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz and Prince Turki al-Faisal, formerly head of Saudi Arabia's intelligence agency, have been sued by hundreds of relatives of the victims, who allege that they knowingly contributed money and support to al Qaeda through Islamic charitable organizations.

The $1 trillion lawsuit says members of the Saudi royal family paid protection money to Osama bin Laden's group to keep it from carrying out terror attacks in Saudi Arabia.

The lawsuit claims the money was paid soon after the Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia that killed 19 U.S. airmen in 1996. The suit does not specify the amount of money involved in the payoff.

The 15-count suit was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by more than 900 family members, plus some firefighters and rescue workers.

Adel Al-Jubeir, foreign policy adviser to Saudi Arabia's crown prince, has denied claims that Saudi royals ever paid money to al Qaeda.

A federal judge is expected to rule soon, perhaps next week, on whether the men are immune from the civil suits.

At issue is whether U.S. courts have jurisdiction over the two princes in this case in light of the Foreign Service Immunity Act.

Bill Jeffriss, representing Prince Sultan, said that the contributions made to Islamic charities that may have funneled money to bin Laden amount to "an exercise by a foreign official of discretion to decide which international Islamic charity and what relief operations by Islamic organizations the country's going to support."

"It's a core government function and not something a public official can be hauled into court for," Jeffriss said.

Ron Motley, lead attorney in the case against the Saudis, said the Saudi government and the two princes were told at least three times by U.S. and French officials that their contributions were funding terrorism.

"They were told that the very charities they were giving millions of dollars to every year were converting that money to terrorist activities including al Qaeda," Motley said.

One of the lawyers who filed the suit is Allen Gerson, one of the attorneys who negotiated a $2.7 billion settlement between the Libyan government and families of 270 people killed when Pam Am Flight 103 was blown up over Scotland in 1988.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

'Remember the Lost and Suffering on September 11, 2001'


http://www.TheAlamoFILM.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=33
(Photos & Thread)

[Mind-numbed Robot]

If allowed to proceed, this lawsuit will smoke out a lot of info whether successful or not.

[Cdnexpat]

If arming the terrorist is a "core government function" wouldn't that make the attacks an act of war?

[At _War_With_Liberals]

Lawyers Gone Wild

[pawdoggie]

Bill Jeffriss, representing Prince Sultan

Goering should have had one of these inside the Beltway attorneys. He could have litigated his way out of Nuremburg.

[RonHolzwarth]

IF they do have diplomatic immunity:
THEN it was an: ACT OF WAR!

So, we'll have to KICK THEIR ASS, and collect war reparations from them instead!!!

Simple! I should have been a lawyer!

[American in Israel]

If the Saudi Prices have immunity from personal litigation in the 911 matter then the Saudi Government has to take the responsiblity for it. You can not have it both ways. Diplomatic immunity is only there because the Saudi Government is claiming them as Diplomats.

If they are Diplomats, then the Saudi Government is responisible for their actions, not the men themselves. If a Russian Diplomat planted a nuke in New York we would nuke Moscow, not hang the Diplomat and send the Kremlin gifts.

This may get the Princes free, but it shines a light on Mecca. May it be a nuclear light.

[American in Israel]

Gee, you said it so much simpler and direct than me!

[Pro-Bush]

[autoresponder]

Let no Saudi put his or her foot on American soil again.

We are waiting for you scumbags!

If you step out of Saudia Arabia we will find you and........

[philetus]

I'm willing to bet the fed judge rules for the sauds.

[Allan]

This apparently is the lawsuit to which I referred here .

There seem to be an incredible number of law firms involved according to the brief

Hanly and Conroy is just one of them.

[MeekOneGOP]

[padfoot_lover]

Bill Jeffriss is from Baker Botts, Jim Baker's firm. Any respect I once had for Mr. Baker is pretty much gone. My only hope is that behind the scenes, we are really jacking with the Saudis somehow, but I doubt it.....