25 Years After 9/11, Questions About the FBI’s Pursuit of Saudi Suspects in the Case Have Only Grown

On the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, questions surrounding the FBI's handling of a Saudi suspect, Omar al-Bayoumi, have continued to grow. In 2001, Bayoumi was identified as a possible suspect after providing assistance to two al-Qaida hijackers as they settled in San Diego. He was subsequently arrested in England and later returned to Saudi Arabia. However, the evidence gathered from him and the FBI's profile of him have come under scrutiny.

It was revealed that Bayoumi had worked closely with Saudi religious officials, served as a Saudi intelligence asset, and collaborated with clerics who later became militant Islamists tied to al-Qaida. These findings were contained in evidence seized from him in 2001, which remained undisclosed for years. This evidence has challenged both Bayoumi's claims of innocence and the FBI's portrayal of him as a genial, pro-American civil servant.

Recently, 9/11 families' representatives have demanded transparency regarding the Bayoumi evidence and questioned the Trump administration's commitment to pursuing the truth about potential Saudi involvement in the attacks. The families also expressed disappointment in the government's failure to provide a complete picture of the events leading to the tragedy.

The Saudi government, on the other hand, has consistently denied any role in the attacks and cited FBI and CIA statements that the royal family was an enemy of al-Qaida and its leader, Osama bin Laden.