Democrat senators and the families of 9/11 victims on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the incident called on the Biden administration to declassify and make available key documents related to Saudi Arabia’s role in the terrorist attacks.
Democrat Sen. Bob Menendez, along with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, both Democrats, made the remarks in front of the U.S. Capitol, citing arguments made by former Democratic and Republican governments under the guise of national security to prevent the release of information about Riyadh.
Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said: If the US government have any document that may open the door to Saudi Arabia or any other person or country in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, these American families and people have a right to know.
Menendez and Blumenthal are co-sponsors of a bill called the 9/11 Transparency Act. The bill, introduced Thursday, requires the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to thoroughly review the government’s investigation into the 9/11 attacks with the aim of declassifying documents.
Families of 9/11 victims seek government documents related to Saudi Arabia’s role in providing assistance to each of the 19 al-Qaeda associates who carried out devastating attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center in southern Manhattan, the Pentagon and the downing of a hijacked plane in Pennsylvania.
The families are suing Saudi Arabia over allegations that Riyadh was involved in organizing the attack and are being exposed by the Justice Department and the FBI for continuing to block the release of key Saudi-related information under the “State Secrets Concession.”
Blumenthal, a member of the US Senate Judiciary Committee, stated: These families have been waging a legal dispute against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and now their dispute is not only against the Saudis but also against their own government, which continues to hide documents from them; Documents required for their day of justice in court.
He added: There is no justification or explanation for their action in classifying documents or invoking the Law on Protection of State Secrets. Let me be very clear. Shame on the Saudi government is not a legal justification.
The bill is backed by Charles Schumer, the leader of the US Senate majority, and at least two Republican supporters, including John Cornyn and Chuck Gersley.
Speaking at a news conference, Schumer said he was working hard to “make this outstanding bill law.”
Families, lawyers and senators have expressed hope that the bill, the 9/11 Transparency Act, will hold the government accountable.