Cantor Fitzgerald Sues Al Qaeda

[Jeanway 0]

Cantor Fitzgerald sues al Qaeda over Sept. 11

 

From wire reports

NEW YORK — Cantor Fitzgerald, the bond brokerage that suffered more deaths in the Sept. 11 attacks than any other company, Friday sued al Qaeda, Saudi Arabia and dozens of foreign companies seeking damages related to the attacks on the World Trade Center.

The suit, filed as the three-year anniversary of the airplane attacks that killed about 3,000 people approaches, is the latest filed in New York federal court against al Qaeda, including one last year by a group of insurance companies.

 

It seeks billions of dollars in damages, charging that the al Qaeda carried off the attacks with the aid of foreign governments and corporations.

 

The attacks, according to the suit, "could not have been accomplished without the knowing and intentional financial support lent al Qaeda and its leaders by a global network of banks, financial institutions, charities, relief organizations, businesses, individual financiers, foreign governments and foreign governmental officials."

 

Cantor Fitzgerald, which said it lost 658 employees in the attacks, is seeking to join the previous lawsuit filed by insurance companies, saying in court papers it would conserve time and resources.

 

The Cantor Fitzgerald lawsuit took particular aim at Saudi Arabia, saying the kingdom "knew and intended that these Saudi-based charity and relief organization defendants would provide financial and material support and substantial assistance to al-Qaeda."

 

According to the lawsuit, Saudi Arabia engaged in a pattern of racketeering as it participated directly or indirectly in al-Qaeda's work through its "alter-ego" charities and relief organizations, which it funded and controlled.

 

The lawsuit alleged that Saudi Arabia materially supported al-Qaeda by helping to raise money for it, by knowingly and intentionally employing al-Qaeda operatives, by laundering its money and by providing al-Qaeda with safe houses, false documents and ways to obtain weapons and military equipment.

 

"This uninterrupted financial and material support and substantial assistance enabled the al-Qaeda defendants to plan, orchestrate and carry out the Sept. 11 attacks," the lawsuit said.

 

A lawyer for the firm declined to comment. Cantor Fitzgerald now has offices in midtown Manhattan.

 

Saudi Arabia last month began a radio advertising campaign citing the Sept. 11 Commission's conclusion that the Saudi government did not fund al-Qaeda as proof that it has been a loyal ally in the fight against terrorism.

 

As the ad campaign was launched, Saudi embassy spokesman Nail al-Jubeir said the ads tell Americans "these are the facts that your own independent commission has said about Saudi Arabia. You make up your mind."

 

The commission had also criticized Saudi Arabia, calling it "a problematic ally in combating Islamic extremism." It said Saudi-funded Islamic schools have been exploited by extremists and, while Saudi cooperation against terrorism improved after the Sept. 11 attacks, "significant problems remained."

 

Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Osama bin Laden and 15 of the 19 hijackers

[WEAREBORG4102 0]

That's money thrown away. Do you think that al Qaeda will actually show up in court?

[gul_nodrog 2]

Saudi Arabia last month began a radio advertising campaign citing the Sept. 11 Commission's conclusion that the Saudi government did not fund al-Qaeda as proof that it has been a loyal ally in the fight against terrorism.

 

As the ad campaign was launched, Saudi embassy spokesman Nail al-Jubeir said the ads tell Americans "these are the facts that your own independent commission has said about Saudi Arabia. You make up your mind."

 

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Saudis can call it what they want, but their blind eye toward Islamic extremists gives implicit support to these nutcases ...

 

I'm with Bush: If you are not "with" us, then you are against us.

 

Saudi Arabia, a loyal ally? My eye! The Saudis and our very own government must just think we're all stupid if they believe that we are swallowing that load of crap.

 

Cantor Fitzgerald may also need to look at certain groups here in the U.S. to lump into this lawsuit. The Saudis do not act in a vaccuum ... we enable them through supporting their government and buying their oil and I'm sure many other things that I just don't know about.

 

That's money thrown away. Do you think that al Qaeda will actually show up in court?

260060[/snapback]

 

No, they won't show up. Perhaps this is just Cantor Fitzgerald's way of making a statement.

 

I just watched a program last night that tracked two groups of survivors, one from each WTC tower. It's easy to forget how really bad that attack was ... time dulls the memory, we all get comfortable again. I don't blame those companies for still being furious about what happened ... If I had been there that day in that building and walked away from that, I would spend my life trying to make sense of that, trying to get someone to take responsibility for what they did.

[Jeanway 0]

My memory hasn't faded on how bad it was. I have nightmares about it still. And I was no where near New York when it happened. Whenever I hear a jet overhead now I always think of that day. We better NOT forget. This Saturday it will be 3 years since that day. The September sky scares me now.

Edited September 7, 2004 by Jeanway