Saudi Arabia Continues to Evade Responsibility for 9/11, says Terry Strada
Terry Strada, who lost her husband in the 9/11 attacks, took the stage during the 25th anniversary ceremony at Ground Zero on Friday to express her belief that Saudi Arabia remains unaccountable for its role in the tragic events. She strongly criticized the U.S. government for what she perceives as its ongoing protection of the kingdom.
Strada remarked that “administration after administration” has let down the families of 9/11 victims over the years. “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has cultivated a toxic culture of anti-American terrorism worldwide and then sent its agents to assist the radical Islamist hijackers in attacking us and all of our loved ones,” she declared. “For 25 years, leaders—including those standing before us today—have prioritized protecting the Saudis over supporting the families impacted by 9/11,” she continued.
She also directed her comments toward Vice President JD Vance, who was noted as the most senior official from the Trump administration present at the ceremony. In contrast, President Donald Trump delivered remarks at a separate event at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. Strada expressed a sense of betrayal, stating, “It has been one betrayal after another. President Trump can still change that. Tell the Saudis to stop lying. If they want to be friends with the USA, they cannot continue to deny all of this.” She urged Vance to carry her message of support back to those in power and to stand with both families and survivors.
Tom Strada, her husband, was working on the 104th floor of the North Tower when it was struck by American Airlines Flight 11. Terry recounted how just before the impact, he had called her to inform her he was heading for the stairwell. The couple had only recently welcomed their third child home from the hospital.
Following her husband’s death, along with nearly 3,000 others during the attacks, Terry Strada became a vocal advocate for accountability and greater transparency regarding the events of September 11. She is one of many family members and survivors suing Saudi Arabia, alleging that the kingdom provided essential support to the al-Qaeda hijackers. Saudi Arabia has consistently denied these claims.
In her address, Strada highlighted a recent decision from a federal judge who found “reasonable evidence” that two Saudi government employees had aided two future hijackers prior to their entry into the U.S. to take flying lessons. This ruling permitted the lawsuit against Saudi Arabia to proceed.
For over ten years following the attacks, victims’ families were barred from suing a foreign government due to sovereign immunity. This changed in September 2016 when Congress enacted the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), allowing American citizens to sue foreign governments accused of helping terrorists target the U.S. Strada criticized former President Barack Obama for vetoing JASTA, which he claimed overstepped by potentially stripping foreign governments of their immunity based solely on private litigant allegations. Shortly after, Congress overrode his veto, paving the way for the lawsuit against Saudi Arabia that was filed in March 2017 and remains active in federal court.
