More than 3,000 family members of 9/11 victims are demanding that both former President Trump and Vice President Harris oppose any Middle East peace deal with Saudi Arabia unless the kingdom acknowledges and is held accountable for its involvement in the attack. They have been pushing for truth, justice, and accountability for 23 years and believe that evidence is emerging about Saudi Arabia’s role in supporting the 9/11 hijackers, with no accountability from the government. Trump and President Biden have been working on a security deal to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, but that deal was put on hold after an attack on Israel by Hamas last October. The families have sent letters to both Harris and Trump and invited them to meet at Ground Zero on the 9/11 anniversary.
The families point to video footage of a Saudi government agent “casing” the U.S. Capitol as evidence of Saudi involvement in the attacks. FBI sources say that Omar al-Bayoumi, who had close ties to two of the 9/11 hijackers, was an operative of the Saudi intelligence service and was seen filming a video around the Capitol, pointing out entrances, exits, security posts, and a model of the building. The families are asking for any Middle East peace deal with Saudi Arabia to address the kingdom’s role in the 9/11 attacks before being endorsed. They are calling on the Saudi government to acknowledge their fault and involvement in supporting the hijackers, stating that without their support, 9/11 may not have happened.
The advocacy group 9/11 Justice, led by Eagleson, has sued the Saudi government and pushed for the declassification of all remaining documents related to 9/11. While Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is seen as being progressive, Eagleson believes that his actions do not absolve the kingdom from its past sins. Fifteen of the 19 al Qaeda hijackers were from Saudi Arabia, but the direct links to the Saudi government have remained unclear. The families are frustrated with the government’s inaction on holding Saudi Arabia accountable for its role in the attacks.
In 2021, President Biden signed an executive order for the review and declassification of 9/11 documents, but Eagleson claims that it has not been effective. Information is being sought from sources outside the country, such as British police, who provided the casing video to the FBI years ago but was never made available to the 9/11 commission or the CIA. Deputy Director Michael Morrell confirmed that the video was not seen during his time as the president’s briefer, raising questions about why it was buried. The families are demanding answers from President Biden, Vice President Harris, and former President Trump. The Harris and Trump campaigns have not provided comments on the matter.
The families of 9/11 victims are adamant about seeking accountability from Saudi Arabia for its involvement in the attacks. They are urging both former President Trump and Vice President Harris to oppose any Middle East peace deal with the kingdom unless it fully addresses Saudi Arabia’s role in supporting the 9/11 hijackers. The families have been waiting for truth, justice, and accountability for over two decades and believe that recent evidence showing Saudi involvement warrants action. President Biden’s efforts to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia have been stalled due to concerns raised by the families about Saudi Arabia’s role in 9/11.
The advocacy group 9/11 Justice, led by Eagleson, has been actively pursuing legal action against the Saudi government and pushing for the declassification of all remaining documents regarding the attacks. They are seeking to hold the Saudi government accountable for its support of the hijackers and its role in the attacks. Despite some progress made by President Biden in declassifying documents, the families believe that more needs to be done to uncover the truth about Saudi Arabia’s involvement. The families are calling for transparency and accountability from the government in addressing the Saudi government’s role in the 9/11 attacks and ensuring that any future peace deals with the kingdom address these concerns.
