In San Diego’s early 2000s, a Saudi‑born woman named Holly Ratchford managed a small apartment complex called Parkwood. A short‑term tenant, Omar al‑Bayoumi, arrived in September 1999 with his family and quickly became a regular at Ratchford’s pool parties.
Bayoumi later introduced Ratchford to two men from his mosque. Despite their lack of English and income, Ratchford signed them as tenants, acting as guarantor. Those men would later become western aircrew in the 9/11 attacks that killed almost 3,000 people.
Ratchford’s testimony, given to the FBI in September 2001, revealed Bayoumi’s extensive support for the pair—including paying their rent when they fell behind, arranging livelihoods and helping them acquire U.S. driver licenses. The FBI placed Bayoumi under investigation, and he was arrested in Birmingham, England, on September 21, 2001.
Although Bayoumi was never extradited or prosecuted, the 9/11 families’ $1 trillion civil suit against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia lists him as a defendant. A 2025 New York court judge found “reasonable inference” that Bayoumi’s actions were coordinated with Saudi officials.
In August 2024, the court argued Bayoumi’s assistance was not a mere act of goodwill but a directive from Saudi intelligence. Saudi Arabia maintains its sovereign immunity and denies any role in the attacks. The case will travel to the U.S. Court of Appeals in October for final adjudication.
