Landlady of 9/11 Hijackers Alleges Saudi Spy Links in New Revelations

Holly Ratchford, former property manager at Parkwood Apartments in San Diego, has broken her long silence about her connection to Omar al-Bayoumi, a Saudi national accused of assisting two of the 9/11 hijackers. Speaking publicly for the first time, Ratchford describes Bayoumi as a friendly neighbor who introduced her to two men who later became infamous as 9/11 terrorists.

In an interview with the BBC, Ratchford recalls Bayoumi moving into the complex with his family in September 1999. She describes him as "bubbly and smiling," regularly attending her pool parties and inviting her to family gatherings. A few months later, Bayoumi introduced Ratchford to two men—Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar—who would later hijack American Airlines Flight 77 and crash it into the Pentagon.

Ratchford has provided a sealed declaration to a New York court handling a $1 trillion lawsuit against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by 9/11 victims' families. The lawsuit alleges that Bayoumi, along with a Saudi diplomat, assisted the hijackers in the U.S. A federal judge ruled last year that there was "a reasonable inference" that Bayoumi and the diplomat were coordinating with Saudi authorities while aiding the terrorists. Saudi Arabia denies the allegations and is appealing the decision.

Ratchford’s account contradicts Bayoumi’s claimed identity as a student. Declassified FBI documents reveal that Bayoumi had stopped his studies by 1998 and was instead organizing religious activities in the Muslim community, often filming them. An FBI investigation after 9/11 concluded that the San Diego Muslim community widely believed Bayoumi was a Saudi intelligence operative.

Despite these suspicions, Ratchford says she had no reason to question Bayoumi’s claims. She recalls him bringing Hazmi and Mihdhar to her rental office in February 2000, describing the two men as polite but unable to speak English. Bayoumi, she says, assured her they would qualify for an apartment despite not meeting income requirements. The two men later moved into Parkwood Apartments.

Bayoumi’s behavior and connections have long been scrutinized. Home videos show him enjoying family outings, including a trip to Las Vegas, while other footage captures him filming the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., where he allegedly noted a "plan." The judge in the lawsuit ruled that the video only confirms Bayoumi visited the city and filmed it, though lawyers for the 9/11 families argue it was surveillance.

Ratchford, who has avoided media attention for 25 years, agreed to speak to the BBC after being located in a remote desert region. She describes feeling deceived by Bayoumi, though she maintains no knowledge of any terrorist plot. Her testimony, along with other evidence, is central to the ongoing lawsuit, which claims Saudi Arabia provided support to the 9/11 attackers.

The 9/11 attacks killed nearly 3,000 people, including hundreds of first responders. While the U.S. government has described the plot as the "most egregious criminal act on American soil," Saudi Arabia continues to deny any involvement. The lawsuit, now in its final stages, seeks to hold the kingdom accountable for its alleged role in the attacks.