- WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A
U.S. judge has dismissed claims against two high-ranking Saudi officials
in a lawsuit filed by victims and survivors of the Sept. 11 attacks.
- In an opinion issued on Friday, Judge James Robertson
of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said that U.S.
courts had no jurisdiction to rule on the actions of Prince Turki Al-Faisal
bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, director of Saudi Arabia's Department of General
Intelligence, and Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, who is Saudi Arabia's
defense minister and holds other positions as well.
-
- In the lawsuit filed by the Sept. 11 victims and relatives
of victims, Prince Turki was accused of having an "ongoing relationship"
with Osama bin Laden, the suspect masterminded of the attacks in the United
States that killed more than 3,000 people. Prince Turki is also accused
of transferring money to support the Taliban and al Qaeda.
-
- Prince Sultan was accused of supporting charities that
give money to al Qaeda.
-
- "The claims against them for acts allegedly done
in their official capacities will be dismissed for lack of subject matter
jurisdiction. The claims against Prince Sultan for acts allegedly done
in his personal capacity will be dismissed without prejudice for lack of
personal jurisdiction," the judge wrote in his opinion.
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