Judge Tosses 9/11 Case Against Saudis

A U.S. judge on Tuesday threw out a case against Saudi Arabia by families of Sept. 11, 2001, victims, who alleged the kingdom provided material support to al Qaeda. U.S. District Judge George Daniels ruled Saudi Arabia had sovereign immunity from damage claims by the families as well as insurers that covered the losses incurred by building owners and businesses. Daniels ruled the allegations did not “provide this court with a basis to assert jurisdiction over defendants.” Though the plaintiffs planned to introduce new allegations based on testimony from Zacarias Moussaoui, an ex-al Qaeda operative imprisoned for his role in the attacks, Daniels said the new claims would not “strip defendants of sovereign immunity.”