Holly Ratchford, the former manager of the Parkwood Apartments in San Diego, has provided a new account of her interactions with Omar al-Bayoumi, a Saudi national currently at the center of a massive lawsuit filed by 9/11 victims' families. Ratchford, who managed the complex in the late 1990s, described Bayoumi as a friendly, frequent guest at social gatherings before he introduced her to two men who would later hijack American Airlines flight 77.
The two men, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, moved into the complex in early 2000. According to Ratchford, the men did not meet standard rental criteria, but Bayoumi—who was already a resident—acted as their legal guarantor and helped them secure an apartment near his own. While Bayoumi later told investigators that his meeting with the hijackers was a chance encounter at a restaurant, Ratchford disputes this, stating that Bayoumi had repeatedly inquired about specific, low-cost units near his own home prior to their arrival.
The FBI and legal filings have long scrutinized Bayoumi, with former San Diego FBI head Richard Lambert noting a consensus within the local Muslim community that Bayoumi functioned as an operative for Saudi intelligence. While Bayoumi has consistently denied allegations of involvement in the 9/11 plot, a federal judge in New York ruled last year that evidence supports a "reasonable inference" that he coordinated with Saudi officials to assist the hijackers. Saudi Arabia and Bayoumi continue to contest these claims.
Ratchford, who has provided a sealed declaration to the New York court, stated that her memories of the men have haunted her for 25 years. Her testimony is featured in the BBC Radio 4 podcast Intrigue: A 9/11 Story and the upcoming documentary 9/11: The Saudi Connection.
Source: BBC News
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