Biden (Washington Insider Magazine) -Following mounting demand from family members of the victims, President Joe Biden has ordered the extensive declassification of evidence gathered during the US investigation into the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Families of victims and first responders have been putting pressure on the White House in the run-up to the 20th anniversary, believing that classified papers prove a link between Saudi Arabian leaders and the attacks.
The 9/11 Commission report found no proof that Saudi authorities were involved in the attack, although it did state that Saudi nationals were a key source of money for Al Qaeda. Saudi Arabia has denied any involvement in the assaults.
Three prior presidents have refused to declassify the papers, with the Trump administration using the state secrets privilege in 2019 to defend the classification of the documents.
Presidential Executive Order
According to the order, an FBI electronic communication dated April 4, 2016, must be made public by Sept. 11.
The Executive Order, dated Sept. 3 and titled “Executive Order on Declassification Review of Certain Documents Concerning the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001” states the following, in part:
“Although the indiscriminate release of classified information could jeopardize the national security — including the United States Government’s efforts to protect against future acts of terrorism — information should not remain classified when the public interest in disclosure outweighs any damage to the national security that might reasonably be expected from disclosure.”
Revealed Information Timeline
The FBI and other agencies must reveal “any additional materials previously withheld as secret, in full or in part, throughout discovery” within two months of the order, as well as another FBI electronic message concluding Operation Encore.
Within six months, the government must release anything relevant from any other investigation which concerns the hijackers and any “relationship with a foreign government”.
It will be up to the attorney general or the heads of the FBI or other agencies to prove that the release of any information “reasonably could be expected to result in damage to the national security”.
