Landlady to 9/11 hijackers reveals their links to alleged Saudi spy

August 29, 2026

Holly Ratchford, a former property manager at Parkwood Apartments in San Diego, has publicly revealed for the first time her encounters with Omar al-Bayoumi, a Saudi man accused of aiding two 9/11 hijackers. Bayoumi moved into her residential complex in September 1999 and appeared friendly and sociable, regularly attending pool parties before introducing Ratchford to Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, who later hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 and crashed it into the Pentagon. Bayoumi is now central to a $1 trillion lawsuit against Saudi Arabia by 9/11 victims' families, with a federal judge finding reasonable inference that he coordinated with the Saudi government to assist the hijackers.

Who is affected

Holly Ratchford (former property manager at Parkwood Apartments)
Several thousand families of 9/11 victims and survivors bringing the lawsuit
Omar al-Bayoumi (alleged Saudi spy accused of facilitating the attacks)
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (defendant in the lawsuit)
Nearly 3,000 people killed in the 9/11 attacks, including approximately 300 firefighters and emergency workers
The two hijackers Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar who Bayoumi allegedly assisted

What action is being taken

Several thousand families of victims and survivors are bringing a $1 trillion lawsuit against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is appealing the federal judge's ruling that allowed the families' case to move forward
The BBC is producing coverage through BBC Radio 4 podcast "Intrigue: A 9/11 Story" and an upcoming BBC Panorama program titled "9/11: The Saudi Connection"

Why it matters

This matters because it directly addresses ongoing questions about Saudi Arabia's potential involvement in the 9/11 attacks, the deadliest terror attack in history that killed nearly 3,000 people. The federal judge's finding that evidence creates "a reasonable inference" of coordination between Bayoumi and the Saudi government represents a significant development in the families' pursuit of accountability 25 years after the attacks. Ratchford's eyewitness testimony, which reportedly contradicts Bayoumi's official account, could provide crucial evidence in establishing whether Saudi officials knowingly assisted the hijackers, potentially validating the families' longstanding demands for answers and justice.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC