The man responsible for obtaining insurance for the World Trade Centre (WTC), Robert Strachan, has told a New York Federal Court that he negotiated the coverage based on a form that deemed an attack on both buildings as a single event.

Mr Strachan’s testimony – which puts the case of WTC leaseholder Larry Silverstein under some strain – came two days into the trial between Mr Silverstein and the consortium of insurers who were responsible for insurance coverage of the buildings when the September 11 strikes occurred in 2001. Mr Silverstein wants them to be recognised as two separate occurrences so he can collect two payments of $US3.55 billion.

Mr Strachan said he used Mr Silverstein’s broker, Willis, and agreed to use its “WilProp” form – which defines “occurrence” as a single event. He also admitted that he sent Mr Silverstein a fax the day after the attacks identifying the events as one loss rather than two.

But Mr Silverstein’s lawyers argued that Mr Strachan was emotional and “not thinking clearly” at the time he sent the fax.

It’s expected the trial, which began last Monday, will last at least another two months.