Until Sept. 11 2001, Cantor Fitzgerald was on top of the world, occupying the top four floors of the World Trade Center's North Tower and a top rung of its business as the largest government bond broker and trader of fixed income securities. All that changed in an instant, when hijacked American Airlines Flight 11 plowed into the skyscraper and killed (among others) 658 Cantor employees.

Last week the firm filed a lawsuit that could help address festering questions of culpability for the Sept. 11 attacks. Cantor may do a public service if, in the process of seeking evidence, it helps uncover documentation that has proved elusive.

Cantor has marched where few dare tread. The case it filed last Thursday in Manhattan seeks damages from several banks and Islamic charities, but it aims stinging language at the government of Saudi Arabia, claiming it engaged in a pattern of racketeering as it participated directly or indirectly in al-Qaeda's work, through the terrorist group's "alter ego" charities and relief organizations.

The lawsuit alleges that the Saudis materially supported al-Qaeda by helping it raise money, knowingly and intentionally employing al- Qaeda operatives, laundered its money and provided it with safe houses, false documents and ways to obtain weapons and military equipment. "This uninterrupted financial and material support and substantial assistance enabled the al-Qaeda defendants to plan, orchestrate and carry out the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks," the suit said.

Similar claims have been made in other lawsuits, including a $300 billion case brought by numerous insurance companies against al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden and alleged conspirators. Cantor wants to join its $7 billion claim to that case.

Questions about Saudi Arabia's relationship with al-Qaeda emerged after it turned out the 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis. Questions also were raised in July 2003 report by Congress' Joint Intelligence Committee; the final report by the Sept. 11 commission; and a new book by Sen. Bob Graham, an committee member who says the FBI and the Bush administration blocked a congressional inquiry into Saudi Arabia's relationship with the Sept. 11 hijackers.

Saudi Arabia's new PR campaign uses the commission's conclusion that the Saudi government didn't fund al-Qaeda as evidence that it's a loyal ally in the fight against terrorism. In truth, even the commission criticized Saudi Arabia.

For decades, Saudi Arabia has supported a radical branch of Islam, Wahhabism, providing a petri dish in which Islamist terrorism festered. Saudi leaders paid lip service to combating terrorism but seldom took action. For example, in 1999 Saudi Arabia approved an anti-money laundering law but didn't enforce it until after the 2001 attacks. Many precepts of al-Qaeda doctrine focus on grievances that common Saudi Arabians have with the corrupt regime. Indeed, some experts believe that the al-Qaeda team of hijackers was comprised of so many Saudis because bin Laden hoped to weaken the royal family's cozy relationship with the United States. Instead, the Saudi role remains obscure.

As one witness told the commission: "We do not appear to be holding the Saudis' feet to the fire. Rather than speaking out loudly and forcefully about their and other states' continued failure to take steps necessary to assure U.S. national security, the United States remains publicly silent."

Cantor's lawsuit may force the facts out into the open.

Copyright 2004 The Denver Post

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