US court clears bin Laden family of suits

FIVE relatives of Osama bin Laden and a construction company started by the father of the al-Qaeda founder cannot be held liable for the September 11 attacks, a federal appeals court says,
upholding the findings of a lower-court judge.
The 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals reached the conclusion on Tuesday as it reinstated claims against 12 other defendants accused of enabling organisations set up as charities to support al-Qaeda, saying evidence may be found to show they provided material support to al-Qaeda.
The rulings stem from lawsuits brought against several hundred defendants by more than 3000 survivors of the attacks, relatives, victims' representatives and insurance carriers. Among defendants were al-Qaeda, its members and associates, along with charities, banks, front organisations, terrorist organisations and financiers.
Lawyer Don Migliori said plaintiffs were pleased that claims will proceed against 12 defendants, but were "very disappointed that the Second Circuit has otherwise failed to uphold congress' clear intent to give victims of acts of terror against American interests the ability to hold those who sponsor terrorism accountable for their heinous actions".
In a ruling written by Circuit Judge Jose A. Cabranes, a three-judge panel decided that all but 12 of 37 defendants dismissed from the lawsuits by Judge George Daniels were properly rejected because the court lacked jurisdiction for lawsuits seeking to hold them accountable.
Among those rejected were four bin Laden relatives who purportedly managed the Saudi Binladen Group, one of the largest engineering and construction companies in the Arab world and a successor to a construction company founded by bin Laden's father. A fifth bin Laden relative alleged to have been involved in two purported charities located in the United States that were alleged to have supported al-Qaeda also was rejected, along with the company itself.
The 2nd Circuit said the company and the bin Laden relatives were properly dismissed because there was insufficient evidence to support claims against them. It noted that Daniels had concluded that the only company distributions to bin Laden for his role as a shareholder came before 1993.
The 2nd Circuit restored claims against a dozen defendants accused of using their "charity" offices as purported al-Qaeda front organisations to support terrorism.
Those defendants were accused in the lawsuits of sending financial and other material support directly to al-Qaeda when the organisation was known to be targeting the United States.