The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Saturday released the first of what is expected to be several documents related to its investigation of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and suspected Saudi government support for the hijackers, following an executive order by President Joe Biden.
This is reported by CNN.
A recently declassified document issued in provides details of the FBI's work to investigate the alleged logistical support that a Saudi consular official and a suspected Saudi intelligence agent in Los Angeles provided to at least two of the men who hijacked planes on September 11, 2001. The document, released on the 20th anniversary of the deadly attacks, still contains significant redactions.
The document describes in detail multiple connections and witness testimony that prompted FBI suspicion of Omar al-Bayoumi, who was purportedly a Saudi student in Los Angeles but whom the FBI suspected to be a Saudi intelligence agent. The FBI document describes him as deeply involved in providing "travel assistance, lodging and financing" to help the two hijackers.
The Saudi government has denied any government involvement in the attacks. But the allegations of Saudi government complicity have long been the subject of dispute in Washington.
It should be noted that 15 of the 19 al Qaeda terrorists who hijacked four planes on September 11, 2001, were Saudi nationals.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan reaffirmed Sunday that his country welcomes the decision by the US to release classified documents relating to its investigation of the attacks, saying the documents "would completely show that there was no (Saudi) involvement" in the attacks.
He said Saudi Arabia has advocated for the release of these documents for over a decade and is confident that the documents "would completely show that there was no (Saudi) involvement ... any way."
It's worth noting that Biden's executive order came after more than 1,600 people affected by the attacks sent Biden a letter asking him to refrain from going to Ground Zero in New York City to mark the 20th anniversary unless he released the information. The letter in part questioned the role of Saudi Arabia, suggesting that members of the Saudi Arabian government had been involved in "supporting the attacks."
A group of family members and survivors of the 9/11 attacks said the report released Saturday night "puts to bed any doubts about Saudi complicity in the attacks."