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

Holly Ratchford, who managed an apartment complex in San Diego, California, is speaking publicly for the first time about her connection to men involved in the September 11, 2001 attacks. She rented an apartment to Omar al-Bayoumi, a Saudi national who moved into the complex with his family in September 1999. Ratchford recalls Bayoumi as "bubbly and smiling" and "very, very friendly," often participating in her pool parties.

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It's almost impossible for me to wrap my head around who he said he was, and who he really is. I still struggle with that

A few months later, Bayoumi introduced Ratchford to two other men, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, who also became her neighbors. These two men would later hijack American Airlines Flight 77 and crash it into the Pentagon. Ratchford admits she is still haunted by her connection to these individuals and feels she was deceived by Bayoumi's outward demeanor. "It's almost impossible for me to wrap my head around who he said he was, and who he really is. I still struggle with that," she told the BBC.

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He was always so bubbly and smiling, and just very, very friendly

Omar al-Bayoumi is now a central figure in a $1 trillion lawsuit filed against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by victims' families and survivors of the 9/11 attacks. The lawsuit alleges that Bayoumi facilitated the plot by providing support to al-Hazmi and al-Mihdhar, the first hijackers to arrive in the U.S., who lived at the Parkwood Apartments for several months before the attacks. A federal judge previously found that evidence created "a reasonable inference" that Bayoumi and a Saudi diplomat coordinated with the Saudi government in assisting the hijackers. Saudi Arabia is appealing this ruling and, along with Bayoumi, denies all allegations.

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Whenever I had parties he would come and be a part of the activities. I enjoyed going over.