FBI releases newly declassified record on September 11 attacks
A declassified FBI document related to logistical support given to two of the Saudi hijackers in the run-up to the Sept. 11 attacks details contacts the men had with Saudi associates in the United States but does not provide proof that senior kingdom officials were complicit in the plot. The document released Saturday, on the 20th anniversary of the attacks, is the first investigative record to be disclosed since President Joe Biden ordered a declassification review of materials that for years have remained out of public view. The 16-page document is a summary of an FBI interview done in 2015 with a man who had frequent contact with Saudi nationals in the U.S. who supported the first hijackers to arrive in the country before the attacks. Biden ordered the Justice Department and other agencies to conduct a declassification review and release what documents they can over the next six months. He was under pressure from victims’ families, who have long sought the records as they pursue a lawsuit in New York alleging that Saudi government officials supported the hijackers. The heavily blacked-out document was released hours after Biden attended Sept. 11 memorial events in New York, Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon. Victims’ relatives had said they would object to Biden’s presence at those remembrances as long as the documents remained classified. The Saudi government has long denied any involvement in the attacks. The Saudi Embassy in Washington has supported the full declassification of all records as a way to “end the baseless allegations against the Kingdom once and for all.” The embassy said that any allegation that Saudi Arabia was complicit was “categorically false.” The documents have come out at a politically delicate time for the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, which have forged a strategic, if difficult, alliance, particularly on counterterrorism matters. The Biden administration in February released an intelligence assessment implicating Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the 2018 killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi but drew criticism from Democrats for avoiding a direct punishment of the royal himself. Victims’ relatives said the document’s release was a significant step in their effort to connect the attacks to Saudi Arabia. Brett Eagleson, whose father, Bruce, was killed in the World Trade Center attack, said the release of the FBI material “accelerates our pursuit of truth and justice.” Jim Kreindler, a lawyer for the victims’ relatives, said in a statement that “the findings and conclusions in this FBI investigation validate the arguments we have made in the litigation regarding the Saudi government’s responsibility for the 9/11 attacks. “This document, together with the public evidence gathered to date, provides a blueprint for how (al-Qaida) operated inside the US with the active, knowing support of the Saudi government,” he said. That includes, he said, Saudi officials exchanging phone calls among themselves and al-Qaida operatives and then having “accidental meetings” with the hijackers while providing them with assistance to get settled and find flight schools. Regarding Sept. 11, there has been speculation of official involvement since shortly after the attacks, when it was revealed that 15 of the 19 attackers were Saudis. Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaida at the time, was from a prominent family in the kingdom. The U.S. investigated some Saudi diplomats and others with Saudi government ties who knew hijackers after they arrived in the U.S., according to previously declassified documents. Still, the 9/11 Commission report in 2004 found “no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded” the attacks that al-Qaida masterminded, though it noted Saudi-linked charities could have diverted money to the group. Particular scrutiny has centered on the first two hijackers to arrive in the U.S., Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, and the support they received. In February 2000, shortly after their arrival in Southern California, they encountered at a halal restaurant a Saudi national named Omar al-Bayoumi who helped them find and lease an apartment in San Diego. He had ties to the Saudi government and had earlier attracted FBI scrutiny. Bayoumi has described his restaurant meeting with Hazmi and Mihdhar as a “chance encounter,” and the FBI, during its interview, made multiple attempts to ascertain if that characterization was accurate or if the meeting had actually been arranged in advance, according to the document. The 2015 interview that forms the basis of the FBI document was of a man who was applying for U.S. citizenship and who years earlier had repeated contacts with Saudi nationals, who investigators said, provided “significant logistical support” to several of the hijackers. Among the man’s contacts was Bayoumi, according to the document. The man’s identity is blacked out throughout the document, but he is described as having worked at the Saudi consulate in Los Angeles. Also referenced in the document is Fahad al-Thumairy, at the time an accredited diplomat at the Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles who investigators say led an extremist faction at his mosque. The document says communications analysis identified a seven-minute phone call in 1999 from Thumairy’s phone to the Saudi Arabian family home phone of two brothers who later were detained at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, prison. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Jim Zeigler: Remembering the 9/11 attack and the American spirit it awakened 20 years ago
Japanese planes attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, killing more than twenty-three hundred Americans. People of that generation forever remembered where they were and what they were doing when they heard of the attack. In the same way, Americans today can vividly recall where they were and what they were doing on the Tuesday morning of September 11, 2001, when Islamic terrorists killed almost three thousand people in four attacks against the United States. Twenty years ago, Americans watched television in shock as they lost their sense of security and safety. In many ways, our history is now divided into before 9/11 and after 9/11. Airport security measures were overhauled, and the Department of Homeland Security was created. A colossal surveillance state has seeped into the lives of ordinary Americans, and generally, Americans have become more aware, even suspicious, of those around us. As we reflect on the tragedy of 9/11 on the 20th anniversary of the attacks, we should never forget the horror of that day. We should never forget the many families who lost loved ones. We should also never forget that, although America’s spirit was wounded that sad day, it was not crushed. Following the attacks of 9/11, President George W. Bush remarked, “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of America’s resolve.” Perhaps this 20th anniversary is a good time to remind us of the strength of America. Just as we should never forget 9/11, we also should never forget the indomitable American spirit we witnessed after the attacks. Jim Zeigler is the Alabama State Auditor.
Katie Britt: Remembering 9/11, recommitting to our fellow Americans this Patriot Day
Saturday marks the twentieth anniversary of when the world stopped turning, September 11, 2001. Two decades later, it is more important than ever that we never forget that day – both the incredible loss we experienced and how America responded with strength and unity. First and foremost, please join my family in pausing to remember the victims of 9/11. We lost over 2,900 innocent people to the day’s horrific terrorist attacks, and thousands more were injured or exposed to toxins as a result. Our prayers are with the victims’ loved ones and for everyone still dealing with the aftermath of this assault on America. Twenty years have passed, but the pain will never fade for so many. It is important to remember that the remains of over 1,110 victims have not yet been identified. This process continues, as two victims from the World Trade Center were identified just this past week. One of the worst days in our country’s history also brought out the very best of America. So many answered the call on and after that September day, and we should honor them in our words and deeds throughout the year. The incredible bravery of first responders and pure acts of kindness from everyday Americans showcased the greatness of our people. Firefighters and police officers rushed into the burning buildings, up the stairs towards the danger. Their valor is forever etched in our memories. And we’ll always remember the countless stories of generosity and humanity that shone through that dark time, exhibiting the strength of these United States of America to a worldwide audience. We also saw a generation of American servicemen and women stand up to defend freedom and keep us safe. For the past 20 years, they have sacrificed their youth and their lives overseas so that we could be safe to live here at home. The world is a better place because our courageous servicemen and women answered the call, and we will never be able to repay the debt of gratitude that we owe them. Patriot Day is a day to reflect on the enduring American spirit, as well. The unity we saw in the aftermath of 9/11 affirms that the ties that bind us together are far stronger than anything that attempts to tear us down. All of humankind saw on that day that while America would join together on bended knee in prayer, we would not break. This anniversary serves as an opportunity to recommit to our fellow Americans and rekindle the spirit that arose as a beacon from the darkness of September 11, 2011. The unity we saw on and after that day still lives on in the heart of our nation. It is incumbent upon us, the next generation, that we always keep that spirit burning bright. We will never forget those we lost on 9/11. Let us strive to live lives that honor them and our heroes who never fail to answer the call. Katie Britt is a Republican candidate to serve as the next U.S. Senator for Alabama. An Enterprise native, Katie resides in Montgomery with her husband, Wesley, and their two children, Bennett and Ridgeway.
Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders make final pushes ahead of New York primary
Hillary Clinton greeted recently-unionized workers at a Queens car wash during her final day of campaigning ahead of the New York primary. Clinton cited the workers as evidence of how “real change happens.” “It didn’t happen overnight,” she told a small crowd at the Hi-Tek Wash & Lube. “You work at it every day.” The remark echoes her recent attacks on rival Bernie Sanders, who she says promises an impossible-to-achieve “political revolution.” Earlier on Monday, she stopped at a hospital in Yonkers and urged workers to support her at the polls. Clinton will join New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for a rally in the afternoon. Clinton also said the White House should take a “hard look” at whether to declassify 28 pages of the 9/11 commission report. Families of victims and some members of Congress say the government has suppressed information about the attack. Clinton is campaigning with Sen. Charles Schumer, who joined the effort. She’s also backing legislation that would allow the Saudi government to be held responsible for any role in the attacks in US courts. Meanwhile, Sanders is backing legislation that would let Americans sue Saudi Arabia over the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The bill is opposed by the Obama administration but is important to families of 9/11 victims, some of whom believe Saudi officials played some part in the attacks. Sanders spoke in favor of the legislation, saying it’s important to have a full understanding of the “the possible role of the Saudi government in 9/11.” U.S. inquiries have not reported a link between the Saudi government or its senior officials and the attacks. But Sanders notes that some conclusions remain classified. Sanders says Saudi Arabia promotes an extreme and “very destructive” version of Islam. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers in the September 2001 attacks, which destroyed the World Trade Center and killed thousands, were citizens of Saudi Arabia. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Reporter mocked by Donald Trump says the 2 knew each other well
Donald Trump said he couldn’t have been making fun of a reporter’s disability because he doesn’t know the man. Not so, says the reporter. Serge Kovaleski of The New York Times says he has met Trump repeatedly, interviewing him in his office and talking to him at news conferences, when he worked for the New York Daily News in the late 1980s. “Donald and I were on a first-name basis for years,” he said in a Times story about the Republican presidential candidate’s behavior at a rally in South Carolina last week. Onstage Tuesday, a mocking Trump flailed his arms in an apparent attempt to imitate mannerisms of the “poor guy.” He accused Kovaleski of backing off a story from a week after the 9/11 attacks that said authorities in New Jersey detained and questioned “a number of people who were allegedly seen celebrating the attacks.” Kovaleski then worked for The Washington Post. Trump cites the story as proof of his claim that “thousands” of Muslims in New Jersey celebrated the devastation across the river. But the story did not suggest “thousands” were observed celebrating or that the reports of such a scene were true. Other accounts from that time concluded the allegations were unfounded. Kovaleski has arthrogryposis, a congenital condition that restricts joint movement. In his speech, Trump cited the 2001 story, “written by a nice reporter,” and went on: “Now the poor guy, you oughta see this guy — uh, I don’t know what I said, uh, I don’t remember. He’s going like, I don’t remember.” He made jerking gestures and his voice took on a mocking tone. On Thursday, Trump posted a statement on his Twitter account saying “I have no idea” who Kovaleski is and claiming to have “one of the all-time great memories.” He wrote: “If Mr. Kovaleski is handicapped, I would not know, because I do not know what he looks like. If I did know, I would definitely not say anything about his appearance.” Kovaleski challenged that statement in a Times story posted online Thursday night. “I’ve interviewed him in his office,” he said. “I’ve talked to him at press conferences. All in all, I would say around a dozen times, I’ve interacted with him as a reporter” when he worked for the Daily News. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Donald Trump says he saw people celebrating 9/11 in Jersey City
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says he saw people cheering the Sept. 11 attacks across the river in New Jersey — a claim officials strongly deny. Trump first told the story Saturday at a rally in Birmingham, Alabama, as he pressed the need for greater surveillance, including monitoring certain mosques, in the wake of the Paris attacks. “I watched when the World Trade Center came tumbling down. And I watched in Jersey City, New Jersey, where thousands and thousands of people were cheering as that building was coming down. Thousands of people were cheering,” Trump said Saturday at a rally in Birmingham, Alabama. Trump repeated the assertion Sunday in an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s “This Week,” as Stephanopoulos explained to Trump that police had refuted any such rumors at the time. “It did happen. I saw it,” said Trump. “It was on television. I saw it.” “There were people that were cheering on the other side of New Jersey, where you have large Arab populations. They were cheering as the World Trade Center came down,” he said. “I know it might be not politically correct for you to talk about it,” he added, “but there were people cheering as that building came down, as those buildings came down. And that tells you something.” A spokeswoman did not respond to a request for clarification Saturday about Trump’s comments. In a statement, Jersey City Mayor [Stephen] Fulop criticized Trump for his statements. “Trump is plain wrong, and he is shamefully politicizing an emotionally charged issue,” said Fulop. “No one in Jersey City cheered on September 11th. We were actually among the first to provide responders to help in lower Manhattan.” Footage of Muslims in Middle Eastern countries cheering news of the attacks were broadcast often on television, but there is no evidence in news archives of mass celebrations by Muslims in Jersey City, which sits right across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan, with clear views of the World Trade Center site. While rumors have circulated on the internet for years that American Muslims celebrated the attacks in Paterson, New Jersey, police officials and religious leaders denied it at the time. “Trump needs to understand that Jersey City will not be part of his hate campaign,” said Fulop. “Clearly, Trump has memory issues or willfully distorts the truth, either of which should be concerning for the Republican Party.’” George Pataki, the governor of New York at the time of the attacks who is also running for the Republican presidential nomination, responded on Twitter. “Not sure what luxury spider-hole @realDonaldTrump was hiding in on Sept11 but I saw Americans come together that day @GStephanopoulos,” he wrote. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Hillary Clinton’s invoking of 9/11 to defend donations draws ire
Hillary Rodham Clinton defended her campaign contributions from Wall Street by invoking her work to help the financial sector rebuild after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, raising eyebrows among her Democratic challengers and Republicans alike. During Saturday’s second Democratic debate, Clinton was put on the defensive by rival Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders when he said Wall Street had been the major contributor to her campaigns. “Now maybe they’re dumb and they don’t know what they’re going to get, but I don’t think so,” he said. Clinton responded that she was representing New York in the Senate when downtown Manhattan was attacked and noted that she helped the city’s financial hub rebuild. “That was good for New York and it was good for the economy and it was a way to rebuke the terrorists who had attacked our country,” she said, her voice rising. Her response drew an incredulous response on social media sites like Twitter, and the debate’s moderators asked Clinton to respond to one Twitter user, who took issue with her mention of 9/11 to justify the contributions. “Well, I’m sorry that whoever tweeted that had that impression because I worked closely with New Yorkers after 9/11 for my entire first term to rebuild,” Clinton said. “I had a lot of folks give me donations from all kinds of backgrounds, say, ‘I don’t agree with you on everything. But I like what you do. I like how you stand up. I’m going to support you.’ And I think that is absolutely appropriate.” The exchange highlighted one of Sanders’ main critiques of Clinton: That she has maintained close ties to Wall Street executives during her political career and would be less forceful in policing the risky behavior of financial firms that Sanders says led to the economic downturn in 2008 and 2009. Both Sanders and ex-Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley support reinstating the Glass-Steagall law which once separated commercial and investment banking but was repealed in 1999 under her husband, President Bill Clinton. The former secretary of state says repealing Glass-Steagall wouldn’t go far enough to curb risks pushed by a shadow banking system. When Clinton raised Wall Street donations along with 9/11, her Democratic rivals quickly bounced. In the post-debate “spin room,” former O’Malley told reporters, “I’ll let her answer that gaffe. I think it was one of the biggest ones of the night.” Mark Longabaugh, a top Sanders’ adviser, said, “Do I think it’s a legitimate defense? No. I don’t see how you can make those two pieces go together.” He called the exchanges over Wall Street the “pivotal moments of the debate.” Republicans said Clinton had shamefully hid behind the 9/11 attacks to deflect attention from her ties to her wealthiest donors. And they signaled that the response would likely find its way into advertising if Clinton becomes the Democratic nominee. “It’s an intersection between stupid and offensive, and I think that’s going to be a big problem as the campaign heads into the general election,” said Sean Spicer, the Republican National Committee’s chief strategist. Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta told reporters the Clinton’s “integrity was impugned and what she was saying was that she was proud to represent the state of New York, to help rebuild lower Manhattan.” “When people attack her and call her quote-unquote the ‘Senator from Wall Street,’ they ought to remember that she was instrumental in trying to rebuild an important part of the New York economy,” he said. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
