Push to Declassify Secret 28 Pages on Potential Saudi Ties to 9/11 Hijackers

A previously classified 28-page section of the 2002 Joint Congressional Intelligence Inquiry into the September 11 terrorist attacks detailed investigative leads regarding potential foreign assistance provided to several hijackers. Stored in a secure vault beneath the U.S. Capitol, the documents focus on connections between Saudi nationals, consular officials, and two of the hijackers who lived in Southern California prior to the attacks. Former lawmakers and intelligence officials campaigned for the document’s declassification, contending that the public deserved full transparency regarding foreign support networks preceding the attacks.

• The 28 pages constituted the final chapter of the 2002 congressional report on intelligence failures surrounding the September 11 attacks and were classified under the George W. Bush administration.
• The material centered on whether hijackers Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar received logistical and financial support after settling in San Diego, California, in 2000.
• Investigative leads examined individuals connected to the Saudi government, including diplomat Fahad al-Thumairy and suspected intelligence operative Omar al-Bayoumi, who provided housing, banking, and settlement assistance to the hijackers.
• Former members of Congress, including inquiry co-chair Bob Graham, argued that keeping the material secret shielded diplomatic relationships rather than vital national security interests.
• The Saudi government denied any official state involvement in the attacks and consistently stated its support for the full release of the classified pages to clear its name.

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