September 11, 2001 | Litigation Timeline

Flanked by September 11 family members during a press conference on Aug. 15, 2002, Motley Rice co-founder Ron Motley announces the filing of groundbreaking litigation against the financiers and material supporters of the terrorist organization al Qaeda.

Press Release: September 11 Families Take Groundbreaking Action to Expose Terrorist Financing Schemes, Cut Off Money Pipeline.

In September 2002, Motley Rice releases major new findings by the firm’s investigative team that were exclusively obtained from the government of Spain and link members of the Saudi royal family to money laundering efforts that support terrorists. The firm’s efforts are later furthered by an Order from Judge Robertson for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia requesting the Spanish authorities provide all of the underlying data contained in their indictments of the Spanish-Saudi al Qaeda money laundering schemes.

Motley Rice intervenes in the criminal trial of Mounir el-Motassadeq in Germany and later receives approximately 45,000 pages of material that were considered for introduction in the German trial.

Motley Rice moves for and is granted an order by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that requests that the Spanish authorities provide all underlying data contained in their indictments of Spanish-Saudi money laundering schemes. The firm receives approximately 37,000 pages of documents, as well as surveillance video prepared by Ghasoub Al-Abrash Ghalyoun, one of the members of the Spanish al Qaeda cell. Motley Rice was able to share key pieces of evidence with the German prosecutors and our own government.

Motley Rice travels to Bosnia several times in 2002 to request documents that were seized in a series of FBI raids of Bosnian charities. The firm meets with members of the Supreme Court of Bosnia Herzegovina in October, prompting three Orders from the Court directing the U.S. government to return the 'Bosnian' documents that were seized, and to provide a copy of the materials to the 9/11 Families United to Bankrupt Terrorism for use in the civil action.

On Dec. 12, 2002, The Wall Street Journal features Ron Motley in its article, “Litigating Terror – Tobacco Lawyer Takes on Saudis in a Sept. 11 Suit.”

September 11 family members and survivors represented by Motley Rice make victim impact statements before the German Court in the criminal trial of al Qaeda co-conspirator Mounir Motassadeq ahead of his conviction.

In March 2003, the U.S. prosecutor in Chicago sends 750,000 pages of the seized Bosnian documents to Motley Rice, including the critical “Golden Chain” document that lists the major financial contributors to the formation of al Qaeda and minutes describing the formation of al Qaeda, its pledge, and membership requirements, marketing strategy and much more.

On June 23, 2003, The Post and Courier features the Motley Rice legal team for the September 11 families and survivors in its article, “Special Report: The King of Torts vs. al-Qaida Inc.”

“Can a trial lawyer expose Saudi complicity in terrorism?” The New York Times Magazine features Motley Rice co-founder Ron Motley on March 14, 2004.

Spain provides documents containing information on wiretaps and financial transfers of money directly to the 9/11 hijackers in the United States, as well as evidence of operational planning meetings in Spain as late as June of 2001.

As federal investigations into the 9/11 attacks intensify, The New York Times publishes its article, “9/11 Files Show Warnings Were Urgent and Persistent,” on April 18, 2004.

On July 22, 2004, the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, releases its official findings on the events that led up to the terrorist attacks. Former New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean chaired the bipartisan Commission and oversaw the review of millions of pages in documents, and interviews involving more than 1,200 across several countries during the nearly 2-year investigation.

Motley Rice attorney for the September 11 families and survivors Michael Elsner interviews Niaz Khan. A citizen of the U.K., born in Pakistan, Khan asserts he defected from al Qaeda in 2000 and warned the FBI of impending plans to attack U.S. civilians.

U.S. District Judge Richard Conway Casey rules on a motion to dismiss the 9/11 litigation.

In 2005, Motley Rice continues to cooperate with the Spanish criminal prosecution of al Qaeda by Judge Baltasar Garzon, including providing the Spanish Court with a certified copy of the 9/11 Commission & Joint Congressional Intelligence Committee Findings.

On June 5, 2005, The Post and Courier reports on Motley Rice’s growing trove of records detailing the scope of the attacks and the financial backing of global terrorism in its article, “Database uncovers links terrorists work to conceal.”

Ron Motley argues for the release of key documents April 7, 2006 during a hearing regarding the prosecution of al Qaeda member Zacarias Moussaoui.

Fourteen settlements are announced in September 2007 for some survivors and families of the September 11 victims, while others maintain their desire to see their case through to trial. The settling families and survivors “had reached a point where they were satisfied that the mix of their motivations — from compensation to accountability, to answers — was satisfied,” Motley Rice attorney Don Migliori tells The New York Times in the article, “Settlements Do Not Deter 9/11 Plaintiffs Seeking Trials.”

Several family members of 9/11 victims have issued a statement on behalf of the 9/11 Families United to Bankrupt Terrorism in response to the Solicitor General's refusal to support the September 11 families' Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court. On Friday, May 29, the Justice Department filed a brief with the high court supporting the Saudi royal family's argument of sovereign immunity from the 9/11 terrorist financing lawsuit.

In U.S. embassy cables dated Dec. 30, 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton states “Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide. … Saudi Arabia remains a critical financial support base for al-Qa’ida, the Taliban, LeT, and other terrorist groups… ”

On Feb. 29, 2012, The New York Times publishes its article, “Saudi Arabia May Be Tied to 9/11, 2 Ex-Senators Say.”

U.S. Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL) joins September 11 widow Terry Strada on MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports to discuss their continued demands that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia be brought to justice.

On Dec. 19, 2013, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reverses an earlier decision that had dismissed claims against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi High Commission.

On June 24, 2014, the 9/11 Families United For Justice Against Terrorism pen a letter to President Obama demanding the release of 28 redacted pages that were withheld from the Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 2001. In 2002, at the time of the report’s release, then President George W. Bush, said the pages would “damage American intelligence operations, revealing ‘sources and methods that would make it harder for us to win the war on terror.’”

On June 30, 2014 the U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear a defense appeal of the litigation, allowing claims to move forward against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

Motley Rice donates a 77-page “Foreseeability Timeline” to the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, outlining events over several decades that should have alerted authorities to the possibility of an imminent attack.

In November 2014, terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui alleges that he previously met with a Saudi prince and princess who provided funding in support of the 9/11 hijackers.

September 11 widow Terry Strada appears on CNN to discuss the release of a controversial report detailing “enhanced interrogation” methods used by the CIA against suspected terrorists.

Calls increase for the release of the 28 redacted pages that were withheld from the Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 2001.

The U.S. government releases the missing 28 pages from the Joint Inquiry into Intelligence Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 2001 report on July 15, 2016, roughly 14 years after the documents were first hidden in a vault under the Capitol.

The September 11 victims, survivors and families file an amended complaint adding the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a defendant in the civil litigation.

Litigation filed by the September 11 families and survivors overcomes a motion to dismiss from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on March 28, 2018. The federal judge overseeing the case finds that plaintiffs’ allegations met required standards for the case to move forward under the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA). In addition to denying the defense’s motion, U.S. District Judge George Daniels for the Southern District of New York also grants a plaintiffs’ request seeking to conduct targeted jurisdictional discovery.

On Aug. 27, 2018, U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn declines to seal more than 6,000 pages in documents produced by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Post and Courier publishes “The Terrorism Files: 18 years after 9/11, an SC man’s lawsuit against foreign government kicks into high gear,” featuring Motley Rice attorney Robert Haefele on Sept. 10, 2019.

On Sept. 12, 2019, the Department of Justice files a document explaining, “In light of the exceptional nature of this case, the FBI has determined to exercise its discretion, pursuant to section 3.1 (d) of Executive Order 13526, to declassify the name of the third main subject in the public interest and to release that name to counsel for the parties under the FBI Protective Order.” However, it added that “[t]he remaining information that has been redacted from the 2012 Summary Report remains classified and/or privileged and protected from disclosure.”

U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn issues an order requiring Saudi officials to sit for depositions.

The PEC file supplemental pleadings against The Republic of Sudan, adding allegations to the original lawsuit.

The Court sets a June 30, 2021 deadline for completion of depositions of the Saudi fact witnesses and, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, parameters on how the parties could conduct depositions.

The FBI produced additional documents identifying Omar Al Bayoumi as an agent of the Saudi General Intelligence Presidency. They are released pursuant to Executive Order 14040. The documents also shed additional light on the Saudi government’s affiliations in the U.S.

Plaintiffs exchange expert reports with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

The Court grants Dubai Islamic Bank’s motion for summary judgment, finding that the Court lacked personal jurisdiction over the bank. 

The Court denies a plaintiff request that sought authorization to resolve a discovery issue on appeal.  The discovery issue stemmed from a March 28, 2018, order that limited plaintiffs’ discovery to inquiries surrounding Omar Al Bayoumi, Fahad Al Thumairy, and their support network. Plaintiffs have fought to expand this discovery to other theories of Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

The Republic of Sudan moves to dismiss claims against it over material support for Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda. The Court denied the motion. 

Plaintiffs successfully petition the Court to strike testimony from defense expert Ambassador Chas Freeman. Additionally, the Court limits portions of testimony from three other defense expert witnesses – Jonathan Benthall, Jonathan Marks and John Sidel. 

The Court denies the Republic of Sudan’s motion to dismiss the case, allowing claims to proceed against the country. The Republic of Sudan later appeals this decision.

Saudi Arabia files a third motion to dismiss the case. Extensive briefing is then undertaken over the course of many months. 

The Court hears arguments regarding Saudi Arabia’s latest attempt to have the case dismissed. Plaintiffs’ counsel argued that significant new evidence shows Bayoumi worked as an undercover agent of Saudi Arabia's "militant extremist network" known as the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. The Court reserved decision on the motion.

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals denied Sudan’s challenge to the district court’s ruling that the country was not immune to liability for providing material support to al Qaeda prior to the September 11th terrorist attacks. The September 11th families hope to move forward with discovery.

U.S. District Court Judge George Daniels denied Saudi Arabia’s motion to dismiss rejecting Saudi Arabia’s argument that the exception to its sovereign immunity, provided by the Justice Against State Sponsors of Terrorism Act, does not apply and finding the undisputed facts allow the Court to maintain jurisdiction of the proceedings as plaintiffs’ claims advance to trial.