The FBI releases the first declassified document on September 11th

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The recently declassified document, which dates back to 2016, provides details of the FBI’s work to investigate the alleged logistical support that a Saudi consular officer and an alleged Saudi intelligence agent in Los Angeles provided to at least two of the men. which hijacked the planes on 9/11. , 2001. The document, published on the 20th anniversary of the deadly attacks, still contains significant wording.

It details multiple connections and eyewitness accounts that sparked the FBI’s suspicion of Omar al-Bayoumi, who was allegedly a Saudi student in Los Angeles, but whom the FBI suspected was a Saudi intelligence agent. The FBI document describes him as deeply involved in providing “travel assistance, accommodation and funding” to help the two kidnappers.

The Saudi embassy in Washington, DC, said earlier Wednesday that it “welcomes the publication” of FBI documents and that “any allegation that Saudi Arabia is complicit in the 9/11 attacks is categorically false.” “.

The former Secretary of Defense expresses the doubt that the declassified documents on 9/11 attacks will shed light on the role of Saudi Arabia.
Biden’s executive order came after more than 1,600 people affected by the attacks sent a letter to Biden asking him to refrain from going to Ground Zero in New York City to commemorate the twentieth anniversary, unless you publish the information. The letter questioned in part the role of Saudi Arabia, suggesting that members of the Saudi government had been involved in “supporting the attacks.”
Shortly after the letter, the Justice Department announced that it would review what previously withheld information or documents related to the September 11, 2001 attacks that it may disclose to the public.

A Justice Department spokesman said in August that the government informed a federal court in Manhattan that the FBI had recently closed an investigation related to certain 9/11 kidnappers.

“While this development followed U.S. District Court rulings that upheld the government’s claims of privilege, the FBI has decided to review its previous claims of privilege to identify additional information appropriate for its disclosure. The FBI will release this information quickly and as quickly as possible. ” said the spokesman.

Biden praised the Justice Department’s decision at the time, saying it fulfilled its campaign promise to get the department to work on the Sept. 11 records publication and doubled its commitment to the families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks.

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNN’s Kate Sullivan contributed to this report.

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