The alleged Saudi role in September 11 attacks gained new attention after two former U.S. senators, co-chairmen of the Congressional Inquiry into the attacks, told CBS in April 2016 that the redacted pages of the Congressional Inquiry′s report refer to evidence of Saudi Arabia′s substantial involvement in the execution of the attacks, and calls renewed to have the redacted pages released. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens.
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The panel's findings 'did not discover' any role by 'senior, high-level' Saudi government officials, said officials familiar with the report, but the "commission’s narrow wording", according to critics, suggests the possibility that "less senior officials or parts of the Saudi government could have played a role". According to Florida Democratic Senator Bob Graham, who chaired the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence at the time the report was being written, "the hijackers received active support and guidance from rich Saudis, Saudi charities and top members of the Saudi government."
In July 2016, the U.S. government released a document, compiled by Dana Lesemann and Michael Jacobson, known as "File 17", which contains a list naming three dozen people, including Fahad al-Thumairy, Omar al-Bayoumi, Osama Bassnan, and Mohdhar Abdullah, which connects Saudi Arabia to the hijackers. According to the former Democratic US Senator Bob Graham, “Much of the information upon which File 17 was written was based on what’s in the 28 pages.”
Aftermath
The Saudi government has long denied any connection. Relatives of victims have tried to use the courts to hold Saudi royals, banks, or charities responsible, but these efforts have been thwarted partly by a 1976 law giving foreign governments immunity.
According to Gawdat Bahgat, a professor of political science, following the 11 September attacks the so-called "Saudi policy of promoting terrorism and funding hatred" faced strong criticism by several "influential policy-makers and think-tanks in Washington".
Threatening by Saudi government
In March 2016 Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir threatened Obama's government to sell USD $750 billion worth of American assets owned by Saudi Arabia if bills clarifying that the 1976 law giving a foreign government immunity does not apply to terror acts, were passed. There are some fears that this could destabilize the US dollar, and Obama has warned against “unintended consequences”, while Saudi economy analysts think that this action would damage the Saudi government.
Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton supported the legislation over whether to allow 9/11 victims' families to sue Saudi Arabia for any possible involvement in the attacks. The legislation was passed by the US senate so that the victims could file lawsuits seeking damages from officials from Saudi Arabia. This passed bill would "circumvent" a 1976 law that "gives foreign nations some immunity from lawsuits in American courts."