Families of Sept. 11 Victims Urge Lutnick to Help Extradite Saudi National
Families of the victims of the September 11 attacks are urging Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to aid in the extradition of Saudi national Omar al-Bayoumi, who is suspected of having ties to the attackers. Lutnick, who lost his brother and many employees at Cantor Fitzgerald, the firm he led during the attacks, is preparing to visit Saudi Arabia with President Trump. The families' letter emphasizes the need for justice and accountability in any economic partnership discussions with Saudi Arabia, highlighting newly revealed evidence linking al-Bayoumi to the attackers. British authorities had seized evidence from al-Bayoumi’s home shortly after the attacks, but it was not shared with the 9/11 Commission. The families express feelings of betrayal due to the evidence being withheld and hope for renewed efforts to bring the truth to light.
Context:
Families of the victims of the September 11 attacks are urging Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to aid in the extradition of Saudi national Omar al-Bayoumi, who is suspected of having ties to the attackers. Lutnick, who lost his brother and many employees at Cantor Fitzgerald, the firm he led during the attacks, is preparing to visit Saudi Arabia with President Trump. The families' letter emphasizes the need for justice and accountability in any economic partnership discussions with Saudi Arabia, highlighting newly revealed evidence linking al-Bayoumi to the attackers. British authorities had seized evidence from al-Bayoumi’s home shortly after the attacks, but it was not shared with the 9/11 Commission. The families express feelings of betrayal due to the evidence being withheld and hope for renewed efforts to bring the truth to light.
Dive Deeper:
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who lost his brother and 658 employees during the 9/11 attacks, is being urged by victims' families to extradite Saudi national Omar al-Bayoumi during his trip to Saudi Arabia with President Trump. The families believe al-Bayoumi has ties to the attackers based on newly unsealed evidence.
Cantor Fitzgerald, led by Lutnick at the time of the attacks, suffered the greatest loss of employees in the World Trade Center's North Tower. Lutnick has been committed to supporting the victims' families through financial aid and healthcare, highlighting his personal connection to the tragedy.
The families' letter, signed by over 150 individuals, calls for al-Bayoumi to face justice in the United States, stressing that accountability is essential for any future economic partnerships with Saudi Arabia. This appeal is positioned as a matter of principle beyond politics.
Evidence linking al-Bayoumi to the 9/11 hijackers was discovered by British police shortly after the attacks, including a sketch of an airplane and a mathematical equation. However, this information was not shared with the 9/11 Commission, leaving many questions unanswered.
The families reference a recent '60 Minutes' report that revealed al-Bayoumi filmed the U.S. Capitol before the attacks, underscoring the significance of the withheld evidence. They express a sense of betrayal over the lack of transparency and advocate for a renewed investigation into al-Bayoumi's involvement.