09.11.01
In a series of coordinated terror attacks,
nearly 3,000 people are killed and more than 6,000 injured when
19 terrorists, members of the Islamic extremist network
Al-Qaeda, hijack four U.S. commercial airplanes and
intentionally fly two of the planes into the Twin Towers of the
World Trade Center, a third into the Pentagon, and a fourth into
a field in Pennsylvania after passengers and crew launch a
counterattack on the hijacker pilot.
12.20.02
A Joint Inquiry from the House and Senate Committees on
Intelligence Issues an 838 page report on the attacks with
information regarding Saudi involvement in support of the
hijackers. 28 pages of the report that discuss the Saudi
government involvement are redacted from public view under the
guise of national security.
07.22.04
The 9/11 Commission Report, formally named
Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks
Upon the United States, is released. The report calls for
declassification of archived documents by 2009.
09.16.15
U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
introduce bi-partisan bill S. 2040, known as the
Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), to allow individuals to hold foreign governments accountable
in U.S. courts for supporting a terrorist attack on U.S. soil.
The legislation would amend a 1976 law that grants foreign
governments immunity from litigation in U.S. courts.
05.17.16
JASTA unanimously passes in the U.S. Senate.
07.15.16
The redacted “28 pages” of the 2002
Congressional Joint Committee Report is finally made public
after more than 14 years of calls for its release. “While in the
United States, some of the September 11 hijackers were in
contact with, and received support or assistance from,
individuals who may be connected to the Saudi Government…" the
document says. It further reveals that high ranking Al Qaeda
terrorist Abu Zubaydah, who was captured after the U.S. invasion
of Afghanistan, had in his phone book the private unlisted phone
numbers for Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. Prince Bandar’s private
residence in Colorado and Prince Bandar’s body guard in
Washington, information that the government had claimed was
classified for national security reasons.
09.09.16
JASTA
is passed in the U.S House of Representatives
by voice vote without objection.
09.23.16
President Obama vetoes JASTA legislation.
09.28.16
U.S. Congress overrides President Obama’s veto.
The Senate votes 97-1 to override Obama's veto of the bill, and
the House follows with a 348-77 vote, thereby
signing JASTA into law.
03.17.16
Lawsuits are filed in federal court in the
Southern District of NY on behalf of many of the families who
lost a family member and thousands more who were injured in the
Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S., seeking to hold
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) responsible for helping some
of the attackers.
03.28.18
U.S. District Judge George Daniels in Manhattan
denies a motion from Saudi Arabia to dismiss
lawsuits that allege the country provided financial and other
support to those responsible for the terrorist attacks on 9/11.
The Court permitted limited discovery against Saudi Arabia
seeking information concerning the Saudi government role in
supporting the first two hijackers who arrived in Los Angeles
and San Diego.
03.08.19
Senate Letter
to FBI Director Wray: Senators Richard Blumenthal, John Cornyn,
Kristen Gillibrand, Charles Grassley and Charles Schumer.
The letter urges “cooperation and transparency from their own
government in gathering evidence where possible”.
The letter also calls for the FBI to release all relevant
documents pertaining to the events of September 11, 2001.
04.09.18
Attorneys for families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks and
others injured and affected by the attacks
file subpoenas against the FBI and other government agencies
to declassify
documents, including a 2012 report on a still-active
investigation by the FBI into direct Saudi involvement in
assisting two of the hijackers, Saudis Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid
al-Mihdhar.
09.12.19
US Attorney General Barr invokes “State Secrets” on third name
revealed in 2012 report.
This is the first time state secrets have ever been invoked
in a civil case.
09.26.18
Resolution 610: Passed in the Senate with unanimous consensus. The resolution
urges for the release of information regarding the September 11,
2001 terrorist attacks to the fullest extent possible. The
resolution notes that “these documents are necessary for a full
public understanding of the events” of the attacks and “the
decision to maintain the classified status of many of these
documents prevents the people of the United States from having
access to information” about the attacks.
TODAY
Thousands of documents critical to revealing the truth about the
Saudi role in the attacks remain classified and those produced
are heavily redacted by the U.S. government. After nearly two
decades,
our own government continues to quite literally cover up
information relating to Saudi involvement
in the acts of terrorism on 9/11, compromising the U.S.’s
ability to deter future acts of terrorism and to hold
accountable those responsible, and depriving the 9/11 families
of valuable evidence to be used in their lawsuit.