Sept. 11 victim files suit claiming Venezuela gave money to terrorists

www.miami.com Posted on Wed, Jan. 29, 2003 BY DAVID OVALLE dovalle@herald.com

The family of a victim of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, claiming the embattled politician gave at least $1 million -- disguised as humanitarian aid -- to Osama bin Laden, the Taliban and the al Qaeda terrorist network.

Judicial Watch, a Washington-based organization that investigates government corruption, announced Wednesday it had filed the suit in Miami federal court. It does not name the 47-year-old female victim and asks for at least $100 million in punitive damages.

Larry Klayman, chairman of Judicial Watch, said a former Venezuelan military pilot would testify that Chavez ordered him to disguise the money as humanitarian aid to the Taliban shortly after Sept. 11. As proof, Klayman offered an article from WorldNetDaily.com and a Spanish-language wire service detailing the defector's accusations.

The money, he said, was delivered by Walter Marquez, the Venezuelan ambassador to India, who also was named in the suit.

Klayman cited Chavez's ties to Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, who he called ''a known terrorist,'' and said the two are planning terrorist attacks in Miami.

''Venezuela has been taken over by Communist forces,'' Klayman said. ``We have agents of Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez probably planting things at this moment.''