A federal judge has dismissed Saudi Arabia as a defendant in a lawsuit brought by the families of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Manhattan Judge George Daniels said in a ruling Tuesday that lawyers for the plaintiffs had failed to show facts sufficient to overcome Saudi Arabia’s sovereign immunity.

The judge wrote that evidence would have to show that Saudi Arabia or its officials took actions in the United States to support the terrorist plot. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were citizens of Saudi Arabia.

Among evidence rejected by the judge were recent claims of a man who became known as the “20th hijacker,” Zacarias Moussaoui. Moussaoui claimed a Saudi prince helped him financially.

Lawyers for Saudi Arabia insisted it had nothing to do with the attacks.

(AP)