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U.S. District Court Rules Saudi Charity to Remain in 9-11 Terrorist Lawsuit

    NEW YORK, Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- A flagship Saudi Arabian charity,
allegedly endorsed and supported by top Saudi officials and established
businessmen, can be sued by families of 9-11 victims, according to a ruling
issued late yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Richard C. Casey of the
Southern District of New York.
    The ruling keeps the International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO) of
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as a defendant in the lawsuit against the financial
sponsors of the September 11 attacks on the United States. IIRO is one of
Saudi Arabia's largest and best known charitable organizations, with a
reported 100+ offices in the Kingdom and abroad, and activity in more than 120
countries.
    Attorneys for Kreindler & Kreindler LLP, which represents thousands of
family members who lost relatives in the attacks, said they were pleased Judge
Casey has allowed the case to continue against the IIRO. "The court's ruling
entitles the plaintiffs to move forward with discovery, opening the door for
us to demand crucial documents and gather key witness testimony," said
Kreindler attorney Justin T. Green. "Essentially, the court is allowing us an
opportunity to prove our claims against this defendant."
    In his ruling, Judge Casey said the plaintiffs had made a prima facie case
that IIRO had been involved in terror plans and plots and had purposely
directed its activities against the United States. He further found that
plaintiffs had "stated a claim under the Anti-Terrorism Act in that IIRO has
allegedly funded al Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan, supported al Qaeda
guest houses, and been involved in other terrorist attacks and plots."
    The suit against IIRO claims the Saudi charity helped Osama Bin Laden
create al Qaeda and nurture the terror organization in assassination plots
against Pope John Paul II and U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1995, and in
money-laundering operations to fund terror attacks in the United States. The
suit also claims that IIRO helped funnel millions to the Taliban government of
Afghanistan while it was hosting bin Laden.

    For further information contact James P. Kreindler, Justin T. Green or
Andrew J. Maloney III at 212-687-8181. Mr. Kreindler is the court-appointed
co-chair of the plaintiffs' executive committee, charged with prosecuting the
case on behalf of all plaintiffs. Messrs. Green and Maloney are members of the
executive committee, and Mr. Green serves as the co-liaison counsel for the
litigation. All are partners at the law firm Kreindler & Kreindler LLP
(http://www.kreindler.com) in New York City.


SOURCE Kreindler & Kreindler LLP




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    CONTACT:
    Jay S. Winuk, +1-845-277-1160,
    jay@winukpr.com, for Kreindler & Kreindler LLP