Family members of 9/11 victims pay tribute to their loved ones on the 19th anniversary of September 11 attacks in New York City on September 11, 2020. (Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Sep 03, 2021
A group representing the families of some of the victims of the September 11 attacks applauded an executive order issued by President Joe Biden on Friday in which the president directed federal agencies to review and release documents related to the FBI's investigation of the attacks.
The order comes a month after nearly 1,800 family members, survivors, and first responders called on Biden to stay away from the upcoming 20th anniversary events unless he ordered the declassification of the documents.
"We are thrilled to see the president forcing the release of more evidence about Saudi connections to the 9/11 attacks," Terry Strada, national chair of 9/11 Families United, said in a statement.
Under Biden's order, agencies including the Department of Justice will review documents from the investigation and release those that can be declassified in the next six months. Some documents could be released as early as next week, according toCNBC, and the president directed Attorney General Merrick Garland to withhold only documents that pose a clear threat to national security.
The previous three presidents have maintained secrecy around the investigation, which ended in 2016.
In 2017, a sworn testimony by an agent who worked on the probe tied the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to material support that the 9/11 hijackers obtained prior to the attacks.
"Much investigative evidence has been uncovered implicating Saudi government officials in supporting the attacks," the families said last month.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer applauded the executive order.
\u201cThank you to President Biden for taking this step to declassify documents related to 9/11. I\u2019ve been pushing to declassify these documents for 20 years for the families of the victims, for the survivors, for the first responders, and more.\n\nhttps://t.co/m3mGOOJRI6\u201d— Chuck Schumer (@Chuck Schumer) 1630700150
Strada said more work remains "to secure justice for our murdered loved ones and to rectify the immense damage the 20-year shroud of secrecy has caused."
"But we now are optimistic that President Biden will be helping us achieve those goals," she added.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
A group representing the families of some of the victims of the September 11 attacks applauded an executive order issued by President Joe Biden on Friday in which the president directed federal agencies to review and release documents related to the FBI's investigation of the attacks.
The order comes a month after nearly 1,800 family members, survivors, and first responders called on Biden to stay away from the upcoming 20th anniversary events unless he ordered the declassification of the documents.
"We are thrilled to see the president forcing the release of more evidence about Saudi connections to the 9/11 attacks," Terry Strada, national chair of 9/11 Families United, said in a statement.
Under Biden's order, agencies including the Department of Justice will review documents from the investigation and release those that can be declassified in the next six months. Some documents could be released as early as next week, according toCNBC, and the president directed Attorney General Merrick Garland to withhold only documents that pose a clear threat to national security.
The previous three presidents have maintained secrecy around the investigation, which ended in 2016.
In 2017, a sworn testimony by an agent who worked on the probe tied the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to material support that the 9/11 hijackers obtained prior to the attacks.
"Much investigative evidence has been uncovered implicating Saudi government officials in supporting the attacks," the families said last month.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer applauded the executive order.
\u201cThank you to President Biden for taking this step to declassify documents related to 9/11. I\u2019ve been pushing to declassify these documents for 20 years for the families of the victims, for the survivors, for the first responders, and more.\n\nhttps://t.co/m3mGOOJRI6\u201d— Chuck Schumer (@Chuck Schumer) 1630700150
Strada said more work remains "to secure justice for our murdered loved ones and to rectify the immense damage the 20-year shroud of secrecy has caused."
"But we now are optimistic that President Biden will be helping us achieve those goals," she added.
A group representing the families of some of the victims of the September 11 attacks applauded an executive order issued by President Joe Biden on Friday in which the president directed federal agencies to review and release documents related to the FBI's investigation of the attacks.
The order comes a month after nearly 1,800 family members, survivors, and first responders called on Biden to stay away from the upcoming 20th anniversary events unless he ordered the declassification of the documents.
"We are thrilled to see the president forcing the release of more evidence about Saudi connections to the 9/11 attacks," Terry Strada, national chair of 9/11 Families United, said in a statement.
Under Biden's order, agencies including the Department of Justice will review documents from the investigation and release those that can be declassified in the next six months. Some documents could be released as early as next week, according toCNBC, and the president directed Attorney General Merrick Garland to withhold only documents that pose a clear threat to national security.
The previous three presidents have maintained secrecy around the investigation, which ended in 2016.
In 2017, a sworn testimony by an agent who worked on the probe tied the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to material support that the 9/11 hijackers obtained prior to the attacks.
"Much investigative evidence has been uncovered implicating Saudi government officials in supporting the attacks," the families said last month.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer applauded the executive order.
\u201cThank you to President Biden for taking this step to declassify documents related to 9/11. I\u2019ve been pushing to declassify these documents for 20 years for the families of the victims, for the survivors, for the first responders, and more.\n\nhttps://t.co/m3mGOOJRI6\u201d— Chuck Schumer (@Chuck Schumer) 1630700150
Strada said more work remains "to secure justice for our murdered loved ones and to rectify the immense damage the 20-year shroud of secrecy has caused."
"But we now are optimistic that President Biden will be helping us achieve those goals," she added.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.