U.S. Judge Orders Saudis To Make Prince Bandar and Other Officials Available for 9/11 Depositions

Sept. 11, 2020 (EIRNS)—It was revealed yesterday, the eve of the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, that on Aug. 27 federal Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn directed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to make some two dozen current and former officials—including Prince Bandar and his chief of staff—available for depositions regarding their knowledge of the 9/11 attacks. Prince Bandar was Saudi ambassador to the U.S. from 1983 to 2005; his daughter Princess Reema bint Bandar is the current ambassador in Washington.

There is ample evidence of Saudi involvement, including financial support to several of the hijackers and coordination with Saudi intelligence agents, such as Omar al-Bayoumi, who is named by the judge as one of the people who is to be made available to be deposed.

Her order reports that evidence presented to her “indicates that Prince Bandar likely has firsthand knowledge ... [of] the role that [imam Fahad] al-Thumairy was assigned by the Kingdom and the diplomatic cover” he enjoyed. Al-Thumairy met with two of the hijackers in his King Fahd mosque in Culver City, southern California.