Release of the “28 pages”, 2016

Congress has today released additional portions of the Congressional report

Part Four, entitled “Finding, Discussion, and Narrative Regarding Certain Sensitive National Security Matters,” was withheld in full

The newly released portion of Part Four relates to the Joint Inquiry’s finding that “[w]hile 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.”

After a classification review by the Executive Branch, three of the four parts that make up the Joint Inquiry report were publicly released in December 2002.

has made no final determinations as to the reliability or sufficiency of the information regarding these issues

on the one hand, it is possible that these kinds of connections could suggest, as indicated in a [redacted] dated July 2, 2002, 'incontrovertible evidence that there is support for these terrorists with the Saudi Government.'

On the other hand, it is also possible that further investigation of these allegations could reveal legitimate, and innocent, explanations for these associations.

Kean and Hamilton said the 28 pages were based almost entirely on raw, unvetted material that came to the FBI.

Some critics of the commission's work say the commission failed to run down every Saudi lead

Later investigations found no evidence that the Saudi government or senior Saudi officials knowingly supported those who orchestrated the attacks.

my Administration also directed the Intelligence Community to perform a declassification review of "Part Four of the Joint Congressional Inquiry into Intelligence Community Activities Before and After the Terrorist Attacks of September 11,"

we have found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded the organization. (This conclusion does not exclude the likelihood that charities with significant Saudi government sponsorship diverted funds to al Qaeda.)

charitable giving was both essential to the culture and subject to very limited oversight.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia welcomes the release of the redacted pages from the 2002 Congressional Joint Inquiry.

neither the Saudi government, nor senior Saudi officials, nor any person acting on behalf of the Saudi government provided any support or encouragement for these attacks.

Some individual donors knew of the ultimate destination of their donations, and others did not

the Commission staff has found no persuasive evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or as individual senior officials knowingly support or supported al Qaeda.