NY1

WTC Leaseholder Cleared Of Contempt In 9/11 Insurance Trial

World Trade Center site leaseholder Larry Silverstein was cleared of contempt charges Monday in an insurance trial to determine whether the destruction of the Twin Towers consisted of one terrorist attack or two, but not before being chastised by the judge in the case.

Lawyers for the insurance companies filed a complaint saying Silverstein was in violation of the judge's orders when he talked about the $7 billion he is seeking from his insurers. The judge said finding Silverstein in contempt might influence the jury as they struggle to decide just how much of an insurance payout he's entitled to in connection with the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

However, the judge said he could easily have found Silverstein guilty, and that the developer might not be so lucky the next time he opens his mouth.

Silverstein says the two planes which hit the towers on 9/11 count as two separate events, for insurance purposes. However, more than a dozen of Silverstein's insurance companies argue the impact of the two planes was part of a single attack.

Silverstein signed the lease for the World Trade Center property just weeks before the attacks, and the insurance language had yet to be finalized.

If 9/11 is ruled two attacks, Silverstein would get about $7 billion in insurance money. If it's deemed to be one attack, he'll get half that.