On September 11, 2021, the FBI released a newly declassified 16-page document related to the September 11, 2001 attacks, following an executive order by President Joe Biden. The document details contacts between the hijackers and Saudi officials but stops short of concluding whether the Saudi government was complicit. The release came on the 20th anniversary of the attacks, responding to years of demands from victims’ families for more information about the FBI’s findings.
The document’s contents and limitations
The partially redacted report highlights interactions between the hijackers and several Saudi officials. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi nationals. The document does not draw a definitive conclusion about Riyadh’s involvement. A U.S. government commission in 2004 found no evidence that Saudi Arabia directly funded al Qaeda, which was given safe haven by the Taliban in Afghanistan. That commission left open the possibility that individual Saudi officials might have been involved.
President Biden ordered the Department of Justice to review documents from the FBI’s probe for declassification earlier in September 2021. The order aimed to increase transparency around the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 Americans.
Reactions from victims’ families
Terry Strada, whose husband Tom was killed on September 11, spoke on behalf of the organization 9/11 Families United. She said the document released by the FBI on Saturday put to bed any doubts about Saudi complicity in the attacks.
“Now the Saudis’ secrets are exposed and it is well past time for the Kingdom to own up to its officials’ roles in murdering thousands on American soil,” Strada said in a statement.
Families had demanded more information for years about what the FBI discovered. They expected the document would show Saudi authorities supported the attack.
Saudi Arabia’s position
The Saudi embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment sent late on Saturday. In a statement issued on September 8, the embassy said Saudi Arabia has always advocated for transparency around the events of September 11, 2001. It welcomed the release by the United States of classified documents relating to the attacks.
“As past investigations have revealed, including the 9/11 Commission and the release of the so-called ’28 Pages,’ 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,” the embassy’s statement said.
The Saudi kingdom has long said it had no role in the attacks.
Broader context of the release
The document release followed years of legal battles and political pressure. Victims’ families sued Saudi Arabia for damages, alleging the kingdom supported the hijackers. A U.S. law passed in 2016 allowed such lawsuits to proceed. The Biden administration faced criticism from some families for initially opposing the release of certain documents.
The 28 pages referenced by the Saudi embassy were part of a congressional report declassified in 2016. Those pages detailed possible Saudi connections to the hijackers but did not prove government involvement. The new FBI document adds more detail but does not change the overall picture.
The release comes at a sensitive time for U.S.-Saudi relations. The Biden administration has sought to recalibrate ties with the kingdom, balancing human rights concerns with strategic interests in the Middle East.
The document’s partial redactions mean some information remains secret. Critics argue full transparency is needed to understand what happened. Supporters of the release say it represents progress in holding accountable those who may have helped the attackers.
The 20th anniversary of the attacks prompted renewed attention to unanswered questions. Many families feel the full story has not been told. The FBI document is one step in that direction, but it leaves key questions unresolved.
This release does not end the debate over Saudi Arabia’s role. It provides new details but no definitive answers. The document adds to the public record but leaves room for further investigation. Families continue to push for more information. The Saudi government maintains its innocence. The truth about September 11 remains a work in progress.
