As reported by the New York Post, the embassy might have used two of its employees for the so-called dry run before a dozen hijackers flew two planes into the Twin Towers, killing nearly 3,000 people in 2001.
The two men also reportedly attended a symposium in Washington, organized by the Saudi embassy in association with the Institute for Islamic and Arabic Sciences in America, which employed late al-Qaeda terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki as a lecturer. He later helped the hijackers to get housing and ID when they arrived in early 2000.
The complaint, filed on behalf of 1,400 family members of the victims, stated that the Saudi Government paid two nationals, posing as students in the US, to take a flight from Phoenix to Washington and test out flight deck security before 9/11.
The court filing provides new details that paint "a pattern of both financial and operational support" for the 9/11 conspiracy from official Saudi sources, lawyers for the plaintiffs say. They add that the Saudi government may have been involved in underwriting the attacks from the earliest stages, including testing cockpit security.
"We've long asserted that there were longstanding and close relationships between al-Qaeda and the religious components of the Saudi government," said Sean Carter, the lead attorney for the 9/11 plaintiffs. "This is further evidence of that."
Saudi attempt to block lawsuit
Lawyers representing Saudi Arabia last month filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, which may finally be headed towards trial now that Congress has cleared diplomatic-immunity hurdles, the Post said. A Manhattan federal judge has asked the 9/11 plaintiffs, represented by lead law firm Cozen O'Connor, to respond to the motion by November.
Saudi Arabia had called on the US last year to "correct" the bill that allows 9/11 victims' families to sue Saudi Arabia in US courts to avoid its "dangerous" consequences.
Lawyers representing Saudi Arabia last month filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, which may finally be headed towards trial now that Congress has cleared diplomatic-immunity hurdles, the Post said. A Manhattan federal judge has asked the 9/11 plaintiffs, represented by lead law firm Cozen O'Connor, to respond to the motion by November.
19 Hijackers were Saudi citizens
Saudi Arabia had called on the US last year to "correct" the bill that allows 9/11 victims' families to sue Saudi Arabia in US courts to avoid its "dangerous" consequences.
Congress voted overwhelmingly last September to override a presidential veto of the bill by then-president Barack Obama.
Families of 9/11 victims campaigned for the law, alleging that the Saudi government had a hand in the attacks that killed almost 3,000 people.
Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens, but no link to the government has been proven. The Saudi government denies any links to the plotters.
Declassified documents showed US intelligence had multiple suspicions about links between the Saudi government and the attackers.
Behind the scenes, Riyadh has lobbied furiously for the bill to be scrapped.
Saud-US-Israeli evil axis involved in 9/11
A senior Saudi prince reportedly threatened to pull billions of dollars out of US assets if it became law, but Saudi officials later distanced themselves from that.
Some pundits believe that the September 11, 2001 attacks were part of a carefully designed plan by the axis of evil comprising US, Israeli and Saudi regimes to destabilize the West Asia region and push forward a Zionist-Wahhabi agenda.
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