The FBI on Saturday released the first document related to its investigation of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and allegations of Saudi government support for the hijackers, following an executive order by President Joe Biden.
Relatives of the victims had called on Biden to skip memorial events to mark Saturday's 20th anniversary if he did not declassify documents that they have contended will show Saudi Arabian authorities supported the plot.
The partially redacted 16-page document released by the FBI outlined contacts between the hijackers and Saudi associates, but no evidence the government in Riyadh was complicit in the attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people.
Saudi Arabia has long said it had no role in the attacks. The Saudi embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent out 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, and welcomes 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 document describes an investigation into whether Saudi Arabia had any involvement with Bayoumi, Thumairy and Muhanna, three individuals who provided significant logistic support to the 9/11 hijackers Hazmi and Midhar.
The document begins with an interrogation of a Saudi consulate employee who had contact with the three. The individual's name is redacted.
The suspect is described to have had a good memory for details about his work and speaking to Bayoumi but could not recall what they talked about. He also said that 9/11 was never discussed at the consulate, a claim which was contradicted by a source known to the FBI, who reported that the suspect was heard saying "Isn't it great that our brothers are fighting?" Another trusted source told the FBI that the suspect was vocal against Christians, Jews and enemies of Islam.
IN ANOTHER report, the FBI was told that the consulate wanted to fire the suspect over his opinions and his possession and distribution of extremist Muslim literature in 2004, but the influence of Bayoumi and Muhanna kept him in his place at the consulate.
The suspect's work at the consulate included providing assistance to Saudi students in the US, which is significant because Hazmi and Midhar said they were traveling to the US as students. The suspect admitted to assisting them in various matters, including letting them stay at an apartment belonging to his family, with his sister having to temporarily move out so they could stay there.
When asked whether he had assisted other students in this way, the suspect said no, while at the same time he described two incidents where he dropped them off at bus stops without providing any more assistance, which they would have needed as they did not speak English at the time.
Another point of interest in the investigation is the Mediterranean Gourmet restaurant where Bayoumi met with Hazmi and Midhar. Thumairy, who also worked at the Saudi consulate, instructed the suspect to take Hazmi and Midhar to the Mediterranean Gourmet Restaurant. When asked why he would take them there considering the restaurant was known for bad food and service, the suspect could not provide a clear answer, saying that "people would go to that restaurant to have private meetings."
The document presents evidence that this individual may have been involved in the attack but does not show any evidence that Saudi Arabia had involvement.
Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. A US government commission found no evidence that the kingdom directly funded al Qaeda, the group given safe haven by the Taliban in Afghanistan at the time – although it left open whether individual Saudi officials might have.
The families of roughly 2,500 of those killed, and more than 20,000 people who suffered injuries, businesses and various insurers, have sued Saudi Arabia seeking billions of dollars.
In a statement on behalf of the organization 9/11 Families United, Terry Strada, whose husband Tom was killed on September 11, 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," the statement said.