She rented the apartment to the people who hijacked planes on 9/11.

A woman who rented out apartments in San Diego has revealed new details about her interactions with a man she later learned was linked to the September 11 attacks. Holly Ratchford, who managed the Parkwood apartment complex in the late 1990s, described how Omar al-Bayoumi, a Saudi national, moved into one of her units in 1999. She did not initially suspect anything unusual about him, but years later, she realized he had been connected to two men who would become central figures in the 9/11 attacks. Ratchford, now in her early 60s, spoke exclusively to the BBC about her experiences with al-Bayoumi, whose role in the events leading up to the attacks has long been debated. Her account forms part of a new BBC podcast and documentary exploring the legal battle against Saudi Arabia over its alleged involvement in the 9/11 attacks. The case involves claims that Saudi officials supported the attackers, including the hijackers who flew American Airlines Flight 77 into the Pentagon. The September 11 attacks killed nearly 3,000 people when 19 members of al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes. Two crashed into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, one struck the Pentagon, and the fourth went down in Pennsylvania after passengers tried to overpower the hijackers. The legal proceedings against Saudi Arabia have centered around whether the kingdom's government knowingly aided the attackers. Al-Bayoumi became a key figure in this case after a federal judge in New York ruled last year that evidence suggests he and a Saudi diplomat worked in coordination with the Saudi government to assist the hijackers. This ruling allowed the lawsuit, which seeks billions of dollars in damages, to proceed. Saudi Arabia has consistently denied these allegations. Ratchford’s testimony adds another layer to the ongoing investigation. She described al-Bayoumi as a friendly neighbor who often attended pool parties and seemed genuinely interested in building relationships. However, she later discovered discrepancies in his story. According to declassified FBI documents, al-Bayoumi had stopped attending university in 1998 and instead focused on religious activities, frequently recording them on video. These recordings raised questions among investigators. Richard Lambert, who led the FBI’s local investigation following the 9/11 attacks, noted that there was a consensus within the Muslim community in San Diego that al-Bayoumi was an operative for Saudi intelligence. Ratchford herself was more concerned with his ability to pay rent than with his activities, but she later learned that al-Bayoumi received approximately $90,000 annually, far more than a typical student could afford. In addition to his financial situation, al-Bayoumi’s behavior also drew attention. In the summer of 1999, he filmed the U.S. Capitol Building from multiple angles, mentioning a “plan” while turning the camera toward himself. Survivors' families argue this indicates he was scouting potential targets, while Saudi Arabia maintains the footage was merely tourist-related. Two men, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, arrived in the United States shortly after al-Bayoumi moved into the Parkwood complex. They were identified as the first two hijackers to arrive in the country and were later linked to the 9/11 attacks. Ratchford recalled seeing them interact with al-Bayoumi, though she did not realize their significance at the time. Her account challenges the version of events al-Bayoumi presented to police, the FBI, and the courts. She stated that she had given a sealed statement to the court but had avoided public discussion until now. After becoming entangled in the investigation, she withdrew from public life, living in relative isolation in a quiet area of the western United States. Ratchford’s revelations come amid growing scrutiny of Saudi Arabia’s role in the 9/11 attacks. The legal battle continues, with survivors and families seeking justice through the courts. Meanwhile, the Saudi government denies all allegations, maintaining that it played no role in the planning or execution of the attacks. As the trial progresses, more details about al-Bayoumi’s connections and activities will likely emerge, potentially reshaping the understanding of the events that preceded the deadliest terrorist attack in U.S. history.