Larry Silverstein has won another court case and potentially hundreds-of-millions of more dollars due to the demolitions of 3 World Trade Center buildings on 9/11.

This article was originally posted at All Gov, with the bold added by myself:

Michael Collins

Also posted here and here

The underpants bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, is a curious terrorist. He became disillusioned with his privileged life as the son of a bank chairman and member of the Nigerian elite, it would seem. Rather than pursuing his studies in London, he retreated to Yemen to learn the ways of al Qaeda inspired terrorism.

Farouk was so indiscreet that his father reported him to the U.S. Embassy as a potential terrorist in November. A month later, he managed to get on a jumbo jet headed for Detroit to complete a terror mission. Despite his training in engineering at the prestigious London School of Economics, Farouk failed in his mission. He couldn't mix his explosives to achieve the desired effect. He apparently forgot to detonate the explosive device in mid flight, waiting until just before landing in Detroit to start his task. He retrieved and set off the chemicals to create the explosion in full view of passengers.

What kind of terrorist is this? He doesn't know when, how or where to conduct his criminal enterprise.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/12/15/911_survivors_press_for_open_trial/UPI-53031229371672/

NEW YORK, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- Family members of Sept. 11, 2001, victims say they're hoping a New York judge will allow a public trial of their suit against United and American airlines.

The survivors are suing the airlines, the owner of Boston's Logan International Airport and security companies for negligence in connection with the hijackings of American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, which left Boston with armed hijackers on board who forced the planes to fly into the World Trade Center.

Judge Alvin Hellerstein of U.S. District Court in Manhattan was set to hear their arguments Monday that a trial should proceed. The families say it would expose to public view the "fatal mistakes" made by Logan Airport officials, The Boston Globe reported.

To date, nearly 3,000 families have agreed to more than $7 billion in private settlements that averaged $2 million each from the federal Victims Compensation Fund, but no Sept. 11 negligence suits have yet proceeded to trial, the newspaper said.

NYC ruling limits airlines' liability for 9/11
Judge limits liability of aviation defendants to replacement costs of WTC towers
December 12, 2008: 11:27 AM ET
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/apwire/bc2a102fca052df941033e0e4c3a4ade.htm

NEW YORK (Associated Press) - A judge says developer Larry Silverstein cannot recover more from the aviation industry than the $2.8 billion value of the World Trade Center if his lawsuits succeed.

Federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein made the determination in a ruling filed Thursday. The decision carried Wednesday's date.

Hellerstein rejected Silverstein's claims that his company would be entitled to as much as $16.2 billion from American Airlines, United Airlines and other aviation defendants.

A lawsuit on behalf of Silverstein's companies claimed that negligence by the airlines allowed the terrorists to hijack planes that struck the twin towers on Sept. 11, 2001.

The aviation defendants denied liability.

A call to Silverstein's lawyer wasn't immediately returned. Top of page

MSNBC
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20298840/site/newsweek/page/0/

Smile … Or Else
‘Behavior Detection Officers’ are now watching passengers’ facial expressions for signs of danger. It’s a new level of absurdity for America.

By Patti Davis

Aug. 16, 2007 - It was bound to happen. Now even a frown or grimace can get you into trouble with The Man.

“Specially trained security personnel” will be watching passengers for “micro-expressions” that will reveal treacherous agendas and insidious intentions at airports around the country. These agents, who may literally hold your fate in their hands have been given a lofty, Orwellian name: "Behavior Detection Officers."

Did anyone ever doubt that George Orwell’s prophecies in “1984” would arrive? In that novel, he wrote, “You had to live—did live, from habit that became instinct—in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized.”

Special Reports
The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund: cui bono?
By Jerry Mazza
Online Journal Associate Editor

Jun 22, 2007, 01:10

Thursday, June 14 -- I’m taking notes in Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein’s spacious courtroom atop the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse at 500 Pearl Street in New York. This as lawyers from United Air Lines, American Airlines, Boeing Corporation, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, World Trade Center Properties, et al, make a motion for a determination of applicable law and for dismissal of all punitive damage claims as well as certain government discovery in the 9/11 damage suits.

The fleet of high-priced lawyers fills half the paneled courtroom. A packed gallery fills the other half. Among the corporate legal fleet are a smaller number of lawyers for the remaining plaintiffs who did not take the 9/11 Victim Compensation money. One of plaintiffs’ lawyers, Greg Joseph, is noted to say, “Any trial is a good trial.”