By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 31 – In ongoing lawsuit "In Re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001," originally filed in 2003, document sealing issues were debated on July 17, 2024. Inner City Press was there, thread.
It is hard to file for unsealing across so many dockets. On July 31 the oral arguments on motions, thread:
Judge Daniels: Why did Bayoumi renew his passport on his particular date? When was it to expire?
Lawyer for Saudis ("Saudi lawyer"): My colleagues will look that up. Bayoumi went to the Consulate - Judge: Why did he travel? Saudi Lawyer: To get info for the mosque Judge: So Bayoumi spoke with the hijackers about San Diego?
Saudi lawyer: Yes, he said it was very pretty. So the hijackers moved to San Diego to learn English and take flight training. Judge: Where did they meet again? Saudi lawyer: Bayoumi's mosque in San Diego
Judge: You're saying it was coincidental they met in the restaurant, and than again at the mosque? Saudi lawyer: Yes. Bayoumi helped them get an apartment. Judge: Why? It was unrelated to his job or his schooling - it was a personal motivation?
Saudi lawyer: Yes Saudi lawyer: Bayoumi helped the hijackers get an apartment. Judge: Did he help anyone else in the mosque as he assisted these 2 people, hijackers? Saudi lawyer: I am not aware.
Judge: So you can you say it was his custom to help people? Saudi lawyer: He was paid Saudi lawyer: The FBI and CIA concluded that helping the hijackers get an apartment was just a coincidence. Judge: How else did he help them?
Saudi lawyer: To get the apartment, they needed a cashiers check and get a bank account. Bayoumi gave them a check Judge: We have the change meeting at the restaurant, the chance meeting at the mosque, this meeting where he helped them with banking and a residence - any more?
Saudi lawyer: They were in the same building before the hijackers moved Judge: For what period did they rent the $10,000 room? 2d Saudi lawyer: $9,900, hijackers had for opening their bank account. Judge: Cash?
2d Saudi lawyer: They opened their bank account with that. Judge: After they met Bayoumi? A: He accompanied them to the bank Judge: Are you saying I should just follow what the FBI says? Saudi lawyer: The FBI says Saudi Arabia had no complicity in the attack.
Judge: But didn't the radical al-Thumairy- Saudi lawyer: We contest that. All they found is that he didn't celebrate Thanksgiving Saudi lawyer: Thumairy and the Saudi royal family, they are from the quietist school...
Judge: What about Bayoumi video-ing government buildings in DC? Saudi lawyer: He liked to video, even about squirrels.
Judge: The government buildings, it was not tourist info Saudi lawyer: OK, when he showed the White House and House of Representatives [sic], we called them "demons." It was unfortunate. 2d Saudi lawyer: Americans might say that about Saudi Arabia Judge: It's not tourist talk, right? 2d Saudi lawyer: He also cites ducks
[Long delay as next lawyers conference with "courtroom tech"]
Plaintiffs' lawyer: The hijackers used Omar al-Bayoumi's phone to stay in touch with others in the network. Al-Bayoumi took them to open accounts at Bank of America.
On the sealing, how is Judge Daniels supposed to hear from the public? The docket provides no insight.
Back on September 29, 2021 U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn held a telephone conference with Dubai Islamic Bank and others, about experts. Inner City Press live tweeted it, here.
The case is In Re Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001, 03-md-1570 (Daniels / Netburn).
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