Court limits jurisdiction over claims linking Saudi princes and charities to Al Qaeda funding

Summary

Court limits jurisdiction over claims linking Saudi princes and charities to Al Qaeda funding The passage outlines a federal district court’s detailed rulings on jurisdiction and sovereign immunity for lawsuits alleging Saudi government and royal involvement in charitable contributions that allegedly supported Al Qaeda. While it does not provide new factual allegations, it identifies specific legal hurdles and points to potential discovery avenues (e.g., Saudi bank contacts, charitable network presence) that could be pursued for further investigation into financial flows and possible state sponsorship. Key insights: Jurisdictional discovery was ordered to assess whether a Saudi Arabian bank’s U.S. contacts create personal jurisdiction.; The court found Saudi princes’ charitable contributions insufficient to meet New York’s concerted action liability standard.; Multiple FSIA discretionary‑function and tort‑exception defenses barred claims against Saudi Arabia and its officials.