A ruling issued today by Manhattan Judge George Daniels insists that Iran is “responsible for 9/11,” and that families of those slain during the 2001 terrorist attack can sue the Iranian government for compensatory and punitive damages.

Daniels’ statement also including claims that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and former Iranian President Rafsanjani both “materially aided and supported” al-Qaeda in carrying out the attack, and continue to do so today.

The ruling is particularly shocking because nobody has ever really seriously claimed that Iran had anything to do with 9/11, and the allegations seem to be based entirely on claims by a few defectors that Iran’s pro-terrorist sentiments led them to somehow establish ties with al-Qaeda.

The allegation is not particularly credible since al-Qaeda has repeatedly targeted Iran for terrorist attacks in the past, and was directly supporting Jundallah, one of the most active anti-Iran terrorist groups, in their operations up to and beyond 9/11.