World Trade Centre leaseholder Larry Silverstein plans to ask a federal judge next week to rule on whether the terrorist attacks on the twin towers amounted to one event or two.
Newswire service Dow Jones reported that at a hearing in Manhattan federal court, Silverstein's attorney, Herbert Wachtell, said he expected to file the request by 17 January 2002 in an insurance dispute with Travelers, a unit of Citigroup.
A ruling on the matter by is likely to affect Silverstein's law suit against Swiss Re and 18 other insurers covering the World Trade Centre (WTC). The Travelers' suit is separate because of different wording in its policy.
The insurers claim that the 11 September terrorist attacks on the WTC amounted to one occurrence, limiting Silverstein's coverage to $3.55bn (£2.5bn).
He argues he is entitled to $7.1bn (£4.9bn) worth of coverage, saying the two plane crashes into the two towers amounted to two occurrences.
The newswire said Wachtell urged a quick resolution. He argued that Silverstein could not rebuild the 10 million square feet of office space until he knew how much the insurers would pay.
The judge did grant a request by Travelers to have eight weeks - double the four weeks Silverstein had sought - to respond to Silverstein's papers.
Travelers and some of the other insurers argue that the attacks should be deemed one occurrence for insurance purposes because the initial plane crash could have easily damaged both buildings.
The towers shared a common infrastructure and were connected by a basement.
Swiss Re attorney Barry Ostrager told the judge that engineering experts needed time to determine if a "single plane was the cause of all the damage" even before the second plane rammed into the second tower.
The judge also granted a separate request by Silverstein to add the 18 other insurers as defendants in his suit against Swiss Re. The insurers hadn't opposed the request.
Separately, WTC insurer Employers Insurance of Wausau joined the dispute by filing its own action Wednesday against Silverstein in Manhattan federal court.
