Remembering 9/11: A Call for Accountability
The widow of a 9/11 victim took a powerful stance at the 25th anniversary ceremony, urging accountability from Saudi Arabia regarding its alleged involvement in the 2001 terrorist attacks. Notably, fifteen of the nineteen hijackers were from Saudi Arabia, a detail that has fueled the ongoing fight for justice by families of the nearly 3,000 victims.
At Ground Zero, Terry Strada—the widow of Tom Strada, who was among the many Cantor Fitzgerald employees killed when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower—disturbed the usual solemnity of the event as she read her husband’s name aloud.
“After 25 years, how can there still be no justice for the role Saudi Arabia played in this atrocity?” she asked, directly addressing her late husband. “Yes, we’ve finally made it into a court and shown that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia promoted a toxic environment of anti-American terrorism worldwide. They even sent agents to assist the extremist hijackers,” said Strada, who is the national chair of 9/11 Families United.
While addressing former U.S. leaders present, including George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Bill Clinton, Strada expressed her frustration about decades of federal policy. She emphasized how “for 25 years, administrations—some of whom are here today—chose to protect the Saudis instead of supporting the 9/11 families. They’ve repeatedly broken promises, creating one betrayal after another,” drawing cheers from onlookers.
However, none of the former presidents visibly reacted to her remarks.
Turning to Vice President JD Vance, who attended on behalf of the White House, Strada urged the current administration to take a stand. “President Donald Trump still has the opportunity to address this. He should tell the Saudis to stop lying and admit the pain and devastation we’ve endured. If they want to maintain friendly relations with the U.S., they need to acknowledge their past actions,” she stated. She concluded, thanking Vice President Vance for attending and encouraging him to relay her message: “Support the families. Stand with the survivors. Doing what’s right is crucial.”
Strada’s organization has been at the forefront of legal actions against the Saudi government, relating to the most devastating terrorist attack on American soil.
On October 7, Federal Appeals Court judges are set to hear arguments in a civil lawsuit brought by over 10,000 family members against Saudi Arabia. A key figure in the lawsuit is Omar al-Bayoumi, who, according to a 2017 FBI memo, had government connections while he aided two of the Flight 77 hijackers in obtaining accommodation in San Diego before the attacks.
Recent FBI footage has surfaced, showing al-Bayoumi filming near the U.S. Capitol and discussing a “plan.” This has prompted families’ attorneys to assert that United Flight 93, which crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, was likely intended to target the Capitol building.
“This evidence suggests that Bayoumi was aware of the hijackers’ intentions and roles. It indicates ongoing communication with higher Saudi government officials,” said Brett Eagleson, president of 9/11 Justice, whose father died in the South Tower.
Saudi Arabia has consistently denied any official involvement in the September 11 attacks.
