Lloyd's abruptly drops lawsuit against Royal Saudis

Insurance exhange alleged a member of the Saudi Arabian Royal family conspired to support 9-11 al-Qaida attack on America

Pittsburgh – An attorney representing the Lloyd's syndicate suddenly announced the insurance exchange is dropping a lawsuit against nine Saudi Arabian defendants accused of “knowingly” providing assistance to the al-Qa'ida agents who allegedly helped out the 9/11 attacks.

Stephen Cozen, a Philadelphia lawyer representing the insurance exhange, reportedly gave no reason for the decision and refused to enter into any discussion with newsmen via e-mail.

Filed on September 8 in the Western District of Pennsylvania, the suit alleged that the group funded “Between 1998 and 2000” various charitable operations that supported al-Qa'ida terror activities.

The defendants included a member of the royal family, Abdul Aziz al-Saud, the half brother of King Abdullah and the long-standing Saudi Interior minister.

“Between 1998 and 2000, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the SJRC, diverted more than $74 million to al-Qai'da members and loyalists affiliated with SJRC bureaus. Throughout this time, the Committee was under the supervision and control of Saudi Interior Minister Prince Naif bin Abdul Aziz.”

Saudi embassies in London and Washington did not respond to questions about the allegations or any other details of the 156-page complaint.

Such embarassing details in the heavily documented suit were obtained through purloined U.S. diplomatic cables released by the cyber-guerilla underground organization Wikileaks.

The documents singled out for scrutiny the Saudi Joint Relief Committee for Kosovo and Checynya (SJRC), which was allegedly used as a cover for several al-Qa'ida operatives, including two of its directors, according to United Nations officials.

Lloyd's sought recovery of some £136 million – about $215 million – in damage claims paid to airlines, airports and security companies, injured individuals and relatives of those killed.

The syndicate filed the suit in Pittsburgh because one of the flights attacked by knife-wielding terrorists crashed near there after crew members and passengers fought the highjackers for possession of the aircraft's controls and lost the battle, sending the plane crashing into the earth at cruising speed.