A look back at Saudi Arabia in a post 9/11 World (2003) | Foreign Correspondent

American lawyers working for the families of victims from September 11, 2000 claim the same people who funded the twin towers attack also funded the Bali bombers.

Allan Gerson is suing Saudi charities, banks and members of the royal family for two trillion dollars for allegedly financing the September 11 attacks. On Foreign Correspondent, he tells Evan Williams he has evidence that money went from Saudi charities, via terrorist cells in Europe, to the Jemaah Islamiah group in South-East Asia.

“We have seen evidence of money that went from Saudi sources through the medium of various entities in Europe to support terrorist cells there that also that also not only ended up in Bali but ended up in Bali because of the active intervention of entities with close ties to the Saudis” said Gerson.

However Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Abdullah ibn Abdul-aziz al-Saud, who is effectively the country’s ruler, says he’s not aware of any funds going to terrorist groups.

In his first interview with Australian TV, the Crown Prince said, “We are very serious about stopping any funds going to any terrorist group.”

And on the issue of war with Iraq: “My regards to the Australian people and the Australian government, but I wish the government would calm down about these things.”

Saudi Arabia’s ruling Royal Family now finds itself caught between Iraq and a hard place.

On one side, America’s “Coalition of the Willing”, including potentially Australia, stands poised to invade Iraq from bases in Saudi and the Arab Gulf States.

On the other, an increasingly destabilised Saudi community – now more willing to heed the call of Islamic fundamentalists, who despise the presence of Americans on their soil, and are prepared to bank-roll the Al-Qaeda terrorist network in a holy war against the West.

Evan Willams gains rare access to the closed kingdom, where he finds a country of frustrated young people – sixty percent are under the age of 25 – who are increasingly alienated both by some in the royal family and perceived American aggression against Muslim countries.

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