Insurers set for 9/11 battle

[dArKeR]

New York - A jury in United States federal court began hearing opening arguments on Monday in the bitter, multibillion-dollar feud about the size of the insurance payout for the September 11 2001 attack on the World Trade Centre.

The case pits the trade centre's leaseholder, Larry Silverstein, against a dozen insurance companies, led by Swiss Re and Travellers Indemnity Company.

Silverstein maintains he is entitled to a double payout of about $7bn on the grounds that the events of September 11 constituted two separate attacks - one by each of the hijacked planes that were flown, 16 minutes apart, into the twin towers.

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