NEW YORK _ Saudi Arabia asked a U.S. judge to throw out lawsuits claiming it helped al-Qaida carry out the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, arguing the victims haven't provided any evidence to back their cases.
Michael Kellogg, a lawyer for the Kingdom, said reports from the 9/11 Commission, FBI, CIA and 9/11 Review Commission found no proof Saudi Arabia backed the attacks.
"Conclusions, speculation, hearsay are not enough," Kellogg told U.S. District Judge George Daniels at a hearing in Manhattan Thursday.
The victims' lawyers claim Saudi Arabia channeled money through its charities to the terrorist group. Congress in 2015 passed a law, the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, JASTA, which for the first time permitted lawsuits against the Saudis over the attacks. The nation was previously covered by sovereign immunity, a legal doctrine protecting nations against most lawsuits.
The allegations are sufficient to go forward under JASTA and the victims should be permitted to seek evidence from Saudi Arabia, their lawyers said.
JASTA was passed over a veto by President Barack Obama, who feared subjecting Saudi Arabia to legal claims threatened to strain relations between the two countries.
