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Alleged Saudi role in the September 11 attacks

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Since the September 11 attacks in the United States in 2001, allegations of Saudi government involvement in the attacks have been made, with Saudi Arabia regularly denying such claims.

The 9/11 Commission Report, issued by the 9/11 Commission on July 22, 2004, "found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded Al-Qaeda" to conspire in the attacks,[1] or that it funded the attackers; however, according to the BBC, the report identified Saudi Arabia as the primary funding location for Al-Qaeda,[2] and that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens.[3]

In 2012, the FBI stated that it had evidence that Saudi diplomat Fahad al-Thumairy, a Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs official and radical cleric who served at the King Fahd Mosque in Los Angeles, and Omar al-Bayoumi (OAB), a suspected Saudi government agent, had supported the 9/11 hijackers. In 2021, the FBI stated that Omar al-Bayoumi was a Saudi intelligence agent with ties to 9/11 hijackers Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar when they initially entered into the US. In 2022, the FBI stated that "there is a 50/50 chance al-Bayoumi had advanced knowledge the 9/11 attacks were to occur". Al-Bayoumi also helped the hijackers find housing in San Diego. Al-Bayoumi stated that he simply befriended the hijackers and also denied being a Saudi government agent. The Saudi government also denied that Al-Bayoumi was an agent.

The Saudi government had broad immunity from lawsuits in the US under the Foreign Sovereign Immunity Act until it was amended in 2016 by the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA). In 2018 a federal judge ruled that a lawsuit brought forward by survivors of, and the families of victims of, the 9/11 attacks, had "a reasonable basis" under JASTA and allowed it to move forward.[4]

Investigations and reports

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2004 – 9/11 Commission Report

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Main articles: 9/11 Commission Report and 9/11 Commission

The 9/11 Commission's final report, the 9/11 Commission Report, published in July 2004 at the request of Bush administration and the U.S Congress, concluded that there was "no evidence" linking Saudi Arabian government or its senior officials to the September 11 attacks.[5][6]

The Commission noted the presence of numerous private donors and sources of fundraising in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States for Al-Qaeda before 9/11.[7]

April 2016 – The 28 pages

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Main article: The 28 pages

The alleged Saudi role in the September 11 attacks gained new attention after Bob Graham and Porter Goss, former U.S. congressmen and co-chairmen of the congressional inquiry into the attacks, told CBS in April 2016 that the redacted 28 pages of the congressional inquiry's report refer to evidence of Saudi Arabia's substantial involvement in the execution of the attacks,[8][9][10] and calls renewed to have the redacted pages released.

The panel's findings 'did not discover' any role by 'senior, high-level' Saudi government officials, but the "commission's narrow wording", according to critics, suggests the possibility that "less senior officials or parts of the Saudi government could have played a role".[11] Florida Democratic Senator Bob Graham, who chaired the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence at the time of the report said in his sworn statements that "there was evidence of support from the Saudi government for the terrorists."[12]

In 2017 a New York lawyer, Jim Kreindler, said that he had found "a link between Saudi officials and the hijackers."[13][14]

July 2016 – File 17

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In July 2016, the U.S. government released a document, compiled by Dana Lesemann and Michael Jacobson,[15] known as "File 17", which contains a list naming three dozen people, including Fahad al-Thumairy, Omar al-Bayoumi, Osama Bassnan, and Mohdhar Abdullah, which connects Saudi Arabia to the hijackers. According to the former Democratic US Senator Bob Graham, "Much of the information upon which File 17 was written was based on what's in the 28 pages."[16]

2017 'dry-run' lawsuit

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According to the New York Post in 2017, the Saudi embassy in Washington DC was accused of performing a "dry run" by paying two Saudi nationals, al-Qudhaeein and Hamdan al-Shalawi, "living undercover in the US as students, to fly from Phoenix to Washington," two years before the attacks.[17] According to journalist Rachael Revesz, "evidence submitted" to a lawsuit against the Saudi government claimed that the Saudi embassy in Washington DC may have funded flights to these students in 1999 to research about the flight deck security. Specifically, the suit, citing the FBI documents, alleges the Saudi government funded two individuals who asked flight attendants technical questions and tried to enter the cockpit of a domestic flight in the US, which caused the flight to make an emergency landing in Ohio and the individuals to be interrogated by the FBI. The two individuals were later released after initial interrogation by the FBI.[18] Mentioning FBI documents, the complaint alleged that the students were part of a network of Saudi Arabian agents in the US, and "participated in the terrorist conspiracy". The documents stated that Qudhaeein and Shalawi were trained in Afghanistan at the same time with some other al-Qaeda operatives that participated in the 9/11 attacks and that "both worked for and received money from the Saudi government, with Qudhaeein employed at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs."[17]

2020 FBI file release

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In April 2020, the FBI neglected to redact one of the several instances of the Saudi diplomat name, Mussaed Ahmed al-Jarrah (MAJ), in a court filing in the lawsuit brought by 9/11 families. Over the course of 1999–2000 MAJ was a mid-level Saudi Foreign Ministry official who was working in the Saudi Embassy in Washington, DC. Former embassy officials said MAJ reported to the Saudi ambassador to the U.S, Prince Bandar, and managed employees of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs at Saudi-funded mosques and Islamic centers.[19][20]

The October 2012 FBI update to the FBI's own investigation of possible Saudi involvement in the 9/11 attacks stated that FBI agents had uncovered evidence that Saudi diplomat Fahad al-Thumairy, a Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs official and radical cleric who served as the imam of the King Fahd Mosque in Los Angeles, and Omar al-Bayoumi (OAB) a suspected Saudi government agent, had been tasked to support the 9/11 hijackers by another individual; referred to as MAJ, whose name was redacted in the October 2012 update document in all but one instance.[20] FBI agents suspected that MAJ had directed crucial support towards two of 9/11 hijackers; Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi, who participated on 9/11 in the hijacking of American Airlines Flight 77.[21][20] After Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi arrived in Los Angeles on January 15, 2000; FBI agents suspected that they were allegedly assisted by Saudi diplomat Fahad al-Thumairy and by OAB, with OAB finding them an apartment, lending them money and setting them up with bank accounts. According to a sworn statement from former LA-based FBI agent Catherine Hunt; during the investigation by the 9/11 Commission the FBI believed that MAJ was engaged in supporting and maintaining al-Thumairy.[22][20][19]

On September 11, 2020, US Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn ordered two members of the Saudi royal family, including Prince Bandar bin Sultan, to answer questions raised by the 9/11 lawsuit. The victims have called it a turning point in a long-running lawsuit. Relatives of the September 11 attack victims claim that the agents of Saudi Arabia knowingly supported al-Qaeda and its leader Osama bin Laden, before hijacking and crashing the planes into New York's World Trade Center Twin Towers.[23]

2021 FBI file release

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On September 11, 2021, following an executive order by Joe Biden, the FBI started releasing a series of redacted documents which were related to alleged links of Saudi officials to 9/11 attacks, over a period of six months.[24]

The first of these documents, a 16-page FBI report dated to 2016, is heavily redacted. The document found no evidence linking the Saudi government to the September 11 attacks. The document asserted that Omar al-Bayoumi was a frequent visitor to the Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles who had provided "significant logistical support" and financial assistance to 9/11 hijackers Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar upon their arrival in the US.[24]

Welcoming the release of the document,[25] the Saudi Embassy in Washington DC issued a statement: "No evidence has ever emerged to indicate that the Saudi government or its officials had previous knowledge of the terrorist attack or were in any way involved in its planning or execution.. Any allegation that Saudi Arabia is complicit in the September 11 attacks is categorically false".[26]

2022 FBI file release

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The United States Justice Department admitted on March 10 that it would miss a deadline specified by President Joe Biden's executive order to examine and reveal records from the FBI's investigation into the attack.[27]

In March 2022, the FBI declassified a 510-page report about 9/11 that it produced in 2017. The report found that "there is a 50/50 chance al-Bayoumi had advanced knowledge the 9/11 attacks were to occur," from the two Islamists he befriended that were involved in plotting 9/11. Al-Bayoumi also helped the Islamists find housing in San Diego.[28] In response, 9/11 Commission chairman and former New Jersey governor Tom Kean said that "If that's true I'd be upset by it", adding, "The FBI said it wasn't withholding anything and we believed them."[28]

Al-Bayoumi stated that he didn't know anything about the hijackers' plans and just befriended them after randomly meeting them. Saudi Arabia stated that al-Bayoumi was not an agent of theirs.[29]

Aftermath

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The Saudi government has long denied any connection.[30] Relatives of victims have tried to use the courts to hold Saudi royals, banks, or charities responsible, but these efforts have been thwarted partly by the 1976 Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.[11] According to Gawdat Bahgat, a professor of political science, following the September 11 attacks the so-called "Saudi policy of promoting terrorism and funding hatred" faced strong criticism by several "influential policy-makers and think-tanks in Washington".[31]

According to Caleb Hanna, the US government collaborated with Saudi Arabia in suppressing the revelation of evidence related to alleged Saudi links to the attacks, denying FOIA requests and allegedly supplying inside information to the lawyers representing the Saudis involved. Bob Graham characterised the strategy as not a 'cover up' but "aggressive deception".[13]

JASTA

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See also: Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act

In March 2016, Saudi Arabia threatened the Obama administration to sell US$750 billion worth of American assets owned by Saudi Arabia if the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) designed to create an exception to the 1976 Foreign Sovereign Immunity Act was enacted, which caused fears of destabilizing the US dollar.[11] U.S. president Barack Obama also warned against "unintended consequences", while other economic analysts believed that this action would damage the Saudi government.[32]

In March 2018, a US judge allowed a suit to move forward against Saudi Arabia brought by 9/11 survivors and victims' families, that the government should pay billions of dollars in damages to victims. The lawsuit is still ongoing as of 2024.[4]

Operation Encore

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Operation Encore was a secret FBI investigation launched in 2007 to investigate the alleged links of Saudi officials to the September 11 hijackers.[33][34][35] According to The New York Times, "circumstantial evidence" was uncovered but no direct links were established.[36] Potential leads were not initially pursued and some FBI agents believe that the CIA interfered with its attempt to place two Saudis under surveillance.[36]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Saudi Arabia: Terrorist Financing Issues". www.everycrsreport.com. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  2. ^ "9/11 probe clears Saudi Arabia". BBC News. June 17, 2004. Archived from the original on March 11, 2006. Retrieved April 14, 2010.
  3. ^ Thomas, Cal. "The Saudis channel the mafia: Fears of Saudi retaliation deter truth about 9/11". The Washington Times. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Saudi Arabia must face U.S. lawsuits over Sept. 11 attacks" Archived November 23, 2018, at the Wayback Machine Reuters. Retrieved 2018-11-22.
  5. ^ "FBI releases first of declassified documents related to 9/11". The Guardian. September 12, 2021. Archived from the original on January 7, 2022.
  6. ^ "FBI begins declassifying documents into Saudi 9/11 links". BBC News. September 12, 2021. Archived from the original on August 3, 2022.
  7. ^ Kean, Thomas; Hamilton, Lee (2004). The 9/11 Commission Report (Official Government ed.). Washington D.C, USA. ISBN 0-16-072304-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  8. ^ "28 Pages: Former Sen. Bob Graham and others urge the Obama administration to declassify redacted pages of a report that holds 9/11 secrets". CBS. April 10, 2016. Archived from the original on April 15, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  9. ^ Rachael Revesz (April 12, 2016). "Barack Obama urged to declassify report detailing links between 9/11 and Saudi Arabia". The Independent. Archived from the original on September 7, 2017. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  10. ^ "Top secret "28 pages" may hold clues about Saudi support for 9/11 hijackers". CBS News. April 8, 2016. Archived from the original on April 12, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  11. ^ a b c MAZZETTI, MARK (April 15, 2016). "Saudi Arabia Warns of Economic Fallout if Congress Passes 9/11 Bill". New York Times. Archived from the original on March 7, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  12. ^ Hulse, Carl (April 13, 2015). "Florida Ex-Senator Pursues Claims of Saudi Ties to Sept. 11 Attacks". New York Times. Archived from the original on July 24, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  13. ^ a b Hannan, Caleb. "One Man's Quest to Prove Saudi Arabia Bankrolled 9/11". POLITICO Magazine. Archived from the original on April 9, 2017. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
  14. ^ Saudi Government Denies Funding 9/11 Attacks Archived April 15, 2017, at the Wayback Machine publication of the aforementioned letter written by Nail Al-Jubeir, director of the information office of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington DC, denying the charge that the government of Saudi Arabia had played a role in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
  15. ^ "Saudi diplomats linked to September 11 terror plot". The Australian. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  16. ^ Riechmann, Deb. "File 17 Is Glimpse Into Still-Secret 28 Pages About 9/11". Associated Press. Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  17. ^ a b Sperry, Paul (September 9, 2017). "Saudi government allegedly funded a 'dry run' for 9/11". Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  18. ^ Revesz, Rachael (September 10, 2017). "Saudi government 'funded a dry run' of 9/11'". The Independent. Archived from the original on September 20, 2017. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  19. ^ a b The Independent, May 14, 2020, Saudi Official Tied to 9/11 Attacks Accidentally Identified by the FBI: 'Third Man' Named in Document Explaining Why Government Can't Reveal Its Secrets"
  20. ^ a b c d Yahoo News, May 12, 2020 "EXCLUSIVE: In Court Filing, FBI Accidentally Reveals Name of Saudi Official Suspected of Directing Support for 9/11 Hijackers"
  21. ^ "Remains Of 9 Sept. 11 Hijackers Held". CBS News. August 17, 2002. Archived from the original on September 30, 2008. Retrieved May 7, 2007.
  22. ^ "Hijackers' time in Southern California at center of allegations of Saudi government involvement in 9/11 attacks". Los Angeles Times. October 1, 2016.
  23. ^ "US judge: Saudi royals must answer questions in 9/11 lawsuit". The Associated Press. September 11, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  24. ^ a b "FBI begins declassifying documents into Saudi 9/11 links". BBC News. September 12, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021. the document provides no evidence that the Saudi government was linked to the 9/11 plot.
  25. ^ "FBI begins declassifying documents into Saudi 9/11 links". BBC News. September 12, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021. Ahead of the declassification, the Saudi embassy in Washington welcomed the release and once again denied any link between the kingdom and the hijackers, describing such claims as "false and malicious".
  26. ^ "Biden Declassifies Secret FBI Report Detailing Saudi Nationals' Connections To 9/11". NPR.org. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  27. ^ Shalal, Andrea (March 11, 2022). "U.S. to miss deadline for release of 9/11 probe documents, court filing shows". Reuters.
  28. ^ a b Kelly, Mike (March 13, 2022). "Exclusive: New FBI documents link Saudi spy in California to 9/11 attacks - Mike Kelly". NorthJersey.com. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  29. ^ Mathis-Lilley, Ben (April 11, 2016). "Your Guide to the 28 Classified Pages About Saudi Arabia and 9/11 That Obama Might Release". Slate. Archived from the original on August 10, 2017. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  30. ^ Black, Ian; Smith, David (April 20, 2016). "Obama faces friction in Saudi Arabia over 9/11 bill and Iran relationship". The Guardian. Archived from the original on December 1, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  31. ^ Bahgat, Gawdat (January 1, 2004). "Saudi Arabia and the War on Terrorism". Arab Studies Quarterly. 26 (1): 51–63. JSTOR 41858472.
  32. ^ Porter, Gareth (April 25, 2016). "The classified '28 pages': A diversion from real US-Saudi issues". Middle East Eye. Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  33. ^ Golden, Tim; Rotella, Sebastian (January 23, 2020). "The Saudi Connection: Inside the 9/11 Case That Divided the F.B.I." The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  34. ^ Tim Golden, Sebastian Rotella (January 23, 2020). "Operation Encore and the Saudi Connection: A Secret History of the 9/11 Investigation". ProPublica. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  35. ^ "Operation Encore: The FBI's secret investigation into possible Saudi ties to 9/11". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  36. ^ a b Victor, Daniel (January 23, 2020). "Did the Saudis Play a Role in 9/11? Here's What We Found". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
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