breaking down the redacted 28 Pages

The long-classified pages detailing alleged ties of the Saudi Arabian government to the 9/11 hijackers has been released by Congress today.  Unfortunately, many of the redactions are less than satisfying.

Before you dive into the report, it is important to take note that Saudi Arabia is now championing this release (with redactions) while just a few months ago, they said they'd sell off our bonds if we released them.

​"FINDING: While in the Unites States, some of the September 11 hijackers were in contact with, and received support or assistance from, individuals who may be connect to the Saudi government.  There is information, primarily from FBI sources, that t least two of those individuals were alleged by some to be Saudi intelligence officers.  The Joint Inquiry's review confirmed that the Intelligence Community also has information, much of which has yet to be independently verified, indicating that individuals associated with the Saudi government in the United States may have other ties to al-Qaida and other terrorist groups."

​Here is the 28 pages to include the Joint Inquiry's executive summary. It can also be downloaded here.  The following document is redacted to protect the guilty:

As some of the redactions are necessary to prevent disclosure of CIA and FBI personnel's identity, many of the redactions fly in the face of those who expected transparency by the Joint Inquiry's release.  It doesn't help that the report does unveil that quite a bit of suspicion should​ fall onto the Saudi government.

The heavily redacted document provides information to fuel the Saudi-linked speculation but allows for just enough unknown evidence that it is almost worthless. 

​Write your congressman/woman and demand full transparency.  The United States shouldn't continue to be allied with a country that freely operates within our borders as the document infers but doesn't prove (as redacted).

White House stance:  This document “does not change the assessment of the U.S. government that there’s no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded Al Qaeda,” Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, said on Friday, quoting the commission’s finding word for word.

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