Airlines barred from questioning FBI in 9/11 suit
July 17, 2009
New York: Federal judge Alvin Hellerstein dismissed a lawsuit filed by major airlines to seek rights to question FBI agents about the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
The lawsuit was part of a plan for the airlines to question FBI agents and seek access to evidence related to the September 11th attacks. The airlines who sued the FBI wanted to prove in court that the government was inadequately prepared in preventing the terrorist attacks which killed over 3,000 people.
Judge Hellerstein ruled against the airline's claim stating, "the defendants have also argued that the terrorists likely would have succeeded, even if the defendants had exercised due care."
"The issues to be tried relate to the acts and omissions of the aviation defendants, not the government," said Judge Hellerstein in his ruling. He also explained: "the government's failures to detect and abort the terrorist plots would not affect the defendant's potential liability."
The lawsuit filed by the airlines is one of a handful 9/11 related lawsuits that Judge Hellerstien is hearing. Hellerstien has three wrongful death lawsuits and nineteen property damage claims pending in his docket to be heard on July 28, 2009.[1]
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