Posted on 08/21/2002 5:18:15 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
RIYADH, 21 August - A Saudi lawyer is planning to file more than 15 lawsuits against the US government and other parties for causing physical and psychological damages to his clients, preventing them from completing their studies and damaging their reputation through the media.
Katib Fahd Al-Shammary, the lawyer, told Arab News that he had collected powers of attorney from Saudi victims and that he would file the suits within two months, seeking damages.
He spelled out the reasons that delayed the filing of suits, saying there was lack of clarity about procedures at US courts and prisons, disappearance of certain evidence and confiscation of the victims' IDs.
"Another important reason is lack of money to follow up court proceedings," Shammary said and called upon Saudi authorities and charities to support the plan.
"We need money to appoint American lawyers to defend our cases and ensure good media coverage to influence US public opinion," he added.
Shammary's clients include Saudi students who have been prevented from continuing their studies in the United States and jailed in US prisons for different durations without leveling any charges against them.
He said he would file lawsuits on behalf of those Saudis whose names and pictures were published in US media as suspects in the Sept. 11 terror attacks while they were outside the US at the time of attacks.
Shammary said the compensations to be sought through the lawsuits would be realistic.
"We have been contacting law offices in the Kingdom, Qatar, Kuwait and even in the US to make use of their expertise in support of the case," he explained.
Shammary is a member of the committee of lawyers appointed to defend Arab prisoners in Guantanamo. The committee, which is chaired by Najeeb Al-Nuaimi, a Qatari, plans to file 80 lawsuits next month.
The Saudi lawsuits come in the wake of a lawsuit filed by relatives of the victims of Sept. 11 attacks against Saudi charities and foreign organizations and individuals seeking trillions of dollars in damages.
"This is yet another part of a series of accusations which started after Sept. 11 against Islamic charities," Secretary-General of the International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO) Adnan Basha said about the US lawsuit.
IIRO, one of several Islamic organizations charged in the lawsuit filed on Thursday, says it is active in the field of charity and relief works mostly for orphans in about 95 countries.
"Our work is official. Our financial records are well monitored and audited by international auditors and in cooperation with governments," Basha added.
Last year, IIRO spent some $33 million on 2,800 projects and more than 44,000 orphans. It maintains offices in many countries, mostly in Africa and Asia.
Brought to the US by:
What else have the terrorist-spawning and terrorist supporting
Saudis done since their attacks against the US on 911?
ANSWER: Telethons to fund more attacks on Western democracies.
How do they get away with this?
Saudi Minister: "Constantinople."
Fantasy scenario: the courts allow these suits to proceed, stipulating that that the plaintiffs attend the hearings in person. The minute they're on the ground the INS grabs them. The law suits are voided and the ex-plaintiffs are bartered back to the Saudis in exchange for Amercan hostages in Saudi prisons and harems, and the freedom of imprisoned Christians.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.