Recent news headlines recall that 15 of the alleged 19 hijackers were Saudi Arabian citizens. Immediately after the attacks, the Bush White House downplayed any possible Saudi complicity. The White House was concerned not to "upset" its relationship with the kingdom, a strong ally, and oil producer. In October 2018, the Department of Justice instructed the FBI to produce formerly-classified documents for the prosecution of the case. But on April 16, 2020, Attorney General William Barr and the acting Director of National Intelligence, Richard Grenell, brought four sealed statements before a federal court. They argued that revealing anything more about "Saudi connections to the 9/11 plot would imperil national security... the administration insisted in court filings that even its justification for that secrecy needed to remain a secret." Barr said to the judge that their revelation "would reveal information that could cause the very harms my assertion of the state secrets privilege is intended to prevent."
Thousands of Sept. 11th family members want to have a day in court with the Saudi government. But for Bob McIlvaine, whose son Bobby Jr. died on 9/11, and for Joe Krackennfels, whose nephew Leonard J. Snyder died in the South Tower, they'd like to see their own government investigated for the attacks. Other families are stunned that their government has for so long shielded the Saudis from 9/11 family prosecution. In what way did Attorney General William Barr mean that national security would be imperiled? How could details of possible Saudi complicity in the attacks of September Eleventh embarrass the United States government, or worse, harm the nation? Or does the Saudi Arabian government, or its intelligence services, have information about US government complicity in the attacks of September 11? Biden's promise to release classified documents must include not only those that point to Saudi involvement, but also others that could help resolve two decades of lingering 9/11 family questions about possible negligence, or malfeasance, on the part of the FBI, CIA, FAA, INS, SEC, NSA, Pentagon and members of the former George W. Bush cabinet.
For more background see "FBI Releases First 9/11 Document After Biden Order," CNN September 12, 2021.
