New York court hears arguments in ongoing 9/11 families' lawsuit against Saudi Arabia

What the report says

A New York appeals court heard arguments in the long-running lawsuit brought by families of 9/11 victims against Saudi Arabia, as judges consider whether the case can advance to trial. The families say a Saudi government employee, Omar al-Bayoumi, helped two of the hijackers and worked with people linked to Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs. Saudi Arabia denies any role in the attacks and argues that it is protected by foreign sovereign immunity in US courts.

The hearing focused on whether the evidence collected so far is enough under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, a 2016 law that opened a path for civil claims against foreign states in terrorism-related cases. A Manhattan judge ruled in August 2025 that the families had met the legal threshold to continue, and Saudi Arabia is now seeking to overturn that ruling. Its lawyer told the appeals panel that key factual questions, including Bayoumi’s employment status and conduct, still need to be resolved before immunity can be removed.

Lawyers for the families said the lower court had already found Bayoumi’s conduct was not innocent and that he was acting on Saudi instructions. The panel did not rule immediately and said it would take the matter under advisement. Outside the courthouse, family members said they hoped the case would finally move toward a trial more than two decades after the attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.