Saudi Arabia seeks full declassification of 9/11 investigation

The Embassy of Saudi Arabia to the United States called for the release of all classified documents about the 9/11 terrorist attack by publishing a statement just days before the 20th anniversary of the horrific attacks which killed about 3,000 people in several American locations.

The embassy underlined Riyadh’s long standing support for the investigation to publicise details in the hopes of shedding light on “baseless allegations” against the kingdom’s involvement in the deadliest attack on American soil.

“The Kingdom has always advocated for transparency surrounding the September 11 tragedy,” the statement said.

By mentioning previous investigations, including the 9/11 Commission and the release of the so-called “28 Pages,” the statement said that  “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 in its planning or execution.”

So, the kingdom reiterated that any allegation accusing Saudi Arabia for the September 11 is categorically false.

Alongside the US, Saudi Arabia has been the top target of Al Qaeda, the terror group organised the 9/11 against prominent American buildings, even before the attacks.

“Saudi Arabia is very proud of its anti-terrorism record, including its efforts to thwart terrorist financing, its comprehensive strategies to counter extremist ideology in both the public domain and online,” the statement said and added that the Kingdom is an essential counterterrorism partner to the United States.

By referring the fight against Daesh in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, the embassy emphasised that the coordination of two countries against the terrorism “undoubtedly has saved the lives of thousands of Saudis and Americans.”

The US President Joe Biden has ordered reviews of the potential declassification of documents from the FBI's investigation into the September 11.

"When I ran for president, I made a commitment to ensuring transparency regarding the declassification of documents on the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America," Biden said in a statement on Friday. "As we approach the 20th anniversary of that tragic day, I am honoring that commitment."

Biden said his order directed the Department of Justice and other agencies to "oversee a declassification review of documents" related to the FBI probe. The order requires Attorney General Merrick Garland to make the declassified documents public over the next six months, he said.

Family members of victims of the September 11 attacks asked last week a US government watchdog to investigate their suspicions that the FBI lied about or destroyed evidence linking Saudi Arabia to the hijackers.

The families have long expressed frustration at the number of documents that remain off limits.

Fifteen of the hijackers were Saudi, as was Osama bin Laden, whose Al Qaeda network was behind the attacks.