New videos of man at centre of 9/11 lawsuit reveal links to extremists and Saudi state
Newly surfaced videos show Omar al-Bayoumi, a central figure in a 9/11 lawsuit, interacting with al-Qaeda figures and Saudi officials. These findings challenge long-standing denials regarding his involvement and suggest potential links between the Saudi state and the 2001 hijackers.
Why it matters
The evidence provides new potential leverage for 9/11 victims' families in their ongoing legal battle against the Saudi government.
Figure caption, Watch: Did the FBI bury evidence of alleged Saudi agent’s role in 9/11?
The man at the heart of a $1 trillion (£733bn) lawsuit brought by 9/11 families had extensive links to Saudi government officials and went paintballing with one of al-Qaeda's future leaders, video obtained by the BBC reveals.
The footage, which the FBI had within days of the 2001 attacks, stands in stark contrast to Omar al-Bayoumi's 25 years of denials that he was an extremist and a Saudi spy.
Bayoumi, who claimed to be a student when he was in the United States, is seen in one clip embracing Anwar al-Awlaki, who would go on to lead al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. In another, Bayoumi and Awlaki are paintballing near San Diego with an official from Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Islamic Affairs.
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